Timeless 5
by jakesgirl1001
Summary: Part 5 of the 18 part timeless story of Jake and Sam
1. Chapter 1

**TIMELESS 5**

**Chapter 1**

Sam looked across the ranch yard towards Jake. Since the night she had scared the Phantom away from him, their relationship had been stormy at best.

Neither of them ever discussed the almost kiss, how Sam had backed away from him to run the other way. How she had left Jake standing there looking after her, wondering what had happened and why she would rather run away from him rather than tolerate a kiss from him.

Still, Jake held onto the thought that when it had come down to him or the stallion, Sam had chosen him. She hadn't allowed the horse to savage him. She had chosen to scare off her precious Phantom rather then let the horse harm him.

It had all been very confusing to Jake.

Since then, they argued a lot over little things. Neither seemed to be able nor willing to talk about what had happened.

Everyone around them had seen the difference, but only the two of them knew what had happened. Or rather what hadn't happened.

Sam wasn't sure why she had run from Jake that night. She knew she had a crush on him, that she had now for awhile. She wondered sometimes if she had always had a crush on him, even when they were kids.

Why was she so afraid of it now? Maybe because she knew now what happened between a man and a woman?

Sam's gaze drifted to her father and stepmother. Dad had ended up marrying Brynna Olson this past winter. At first Sam had been surprised, but upon thinking about it, she should have known it was coming.

Dad and Brynna had been dating since they had met. It had been quite obvious that the two found each other attractive.

Now Brynna was her stepmother and expecting her first child this winter. Sam blushed remembering her reaction to the news.

Oh gosh, nothing like reminding a hormonal teenage girl what adults did together! Sam had immediately thought of Jake. Why had she thought of sex and then thought immediately of Jake Ely?

Sam knew why even though she didn't want to face it. She was falling for Jake. Oh heck, she had already fallen and when she had a chance to do something about it by letting him kiss her, she had run away like a fool. Now it seemed he barely spoke to her.

Sam sighed.

"What's wrong, Sammy?" Bryan came up behind her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Nothing," Sam lied, not wanting to ruin his and Quinn's graduation party.

Bryan quirked an eyebrow at her but Sam shook her head.

"I'm an idiot sometimes," was all she would say. Then she looked to where Bryan's new Yukon sat next to Quinn's new Tahoe.

"I love the SUVs," Sam looked up at him.

"I'll take you out to dinner soon," Bryan promised. "Maybe I'll let you drive it."

Sam laughed. The last time she had drove anything she had almost taken out a fence and had been tackled off the tractor. She frowned. By Jake. Her eyes slid to where he was standing across the yard talking to his grandfather.

Jake's eyes lifted and met hers briefly. She could see the confusion in his eyes before he looked down at the ground.

"So what's going on between you and Jakey?" Bryan asked.

"Nothing," Sam shook her head again. "I guess we've just kinda outgrew each other." She shrugged.

"After all these years?" Bryan scoffed. "Sammy, you two have been friends for eleven years. Why now?"

Sam shrugged again. How could she explain it? She hadn't really been able to explain it to Jen who she could tell anything to. There was no way she could explain it to Jake's brother.

_He tried to kiss me and I ran away from him and now I'm regretting it?_ That about summed it up, but she couldn't admit it to anyone, especially to one of Jake's brothers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Samantha."

Sam turned later that afternoon to see Mac Ely coming towards her. She smiled at him and found herself wrapped in a hug.

"How are you, Mr. Ely?" Sam asked.

"Mac," he corrected her.

"Mac," Sam smiled.

"I'm doing well," Mac told her. "How are you?"

"I'm well," Sam returned and tried not to squirm under the older man's scrutiny. He wasn't buying it and they both knew it. Sam only hoped that he didn't realize that his youngest grandson was the cause of her troubles. By the look in his eyes, he knew that too and Sam blushed and looked away.

"Let me tell you a story," Mac began, surprising Sam. He went on to tell her about a Shoshone girl who was so busy looking elsewhere for her happiness that she had missed all that she had because it had been right in front of her.

"I'm not Shoshone," Sam joked, trying to not admit that he knew too much.

"Perhaps not," Mac conceded. "But when two people who obviously care about each other deny themselves, it makes them both unhappy and all the people around them unhappy as well."

Sam shook her head.

"You're only fifteen," Mac murmured. "Though your head tells you that you're too young, your heart is telling you something else altogether."

"No," Sam denied it.

Mac just smiled at her. "Be patient and listen."

"I'm sorry, I need to get something to drink," Sam knew she was being rude, but didn't want to talk about it. She turned and practically ran in the other direction, just as she had that night at Deerpath.

As she hurried away, she realized that she kept running away from things she normally wouldn't. When had she become a coward?

She bristled, angry with herself. She wasn't a coward and never had been. This running away was going to end!

"Hey Sammy," Quinn greeted her as she took a can of soda out of one of the coolers.

"Hi Quinn," Sam smiled at him.

"I tried to flunk for you, but they passed me anyway," Quinn teased.

"That's okay," Sam laughed. "Maybe next time."

"Not me, I'm done with school," Quinn said.

"Not even local college?" Sam asked.

"Nah, I don't think so," Quinn shook his head. "Bryan's going to, but I think I'm done. I'm not a student."

"What will you do?" Sam wondered.

"Work on the ranch," Quinn answered.

"Jake's planning on going to college," Sam reminded him.

"Jake will end up taking over the ranch someday," Quinn pointed out. "I'm just a worker bee."

Sam looked up at him. Quinn nodded.

"You know that's true of him," Quinn said. "He's the one who puts the most into the ranch. It's only fair."

"Where does that leave you?" Sam wondered.

"Saying 'yes Jake, no Jake, anything you want Jake'," Quinn laughed.

Sam snorted, then gave up and just started to laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Jake heard her laughter across the ranch yard and couldn't help looking at her. For an instant he wondered if she was laughing about him. Would she confide in Quinn? His eyes narrowed as he watched the two of them.

Sam felt the eyes and glanced up through her bangs. Just in time to see his eyes narrow at her. Oh good grief! What was he mad about now? That she was talking to his brother?

Sam couldn't help the brief frown before looking back at Quinn. He was grinning at her and she groaned.

"For someone who doesn't dance, you and Jakey are sure doing a lot of it," Quinn teased.

"I dance," Sam retorted.

"Yeah and normally you're pretty good at it," Quinn said. "Jake sucks at it and the tap dance routine he's doing now isn't making me have any more faith in his abilities."

Sam had to look away from Quinn's dark brown eyes. She made sure not to look towards his younger brother again.

"Wanna talk about it?" Quinn asked.

Sam shook her head.

"I won't tell him," Quinn promised.

Sam flicked her eyes back to his. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen Quinn so serious before in her life.

"Not much to tell," she shrugged.

Quinn snorted. "Okay Sammy, anything you say Sammy."

Sam laughed and hit him. "You're ready to start working for him, huh?"

"I told you," Quinn laughed with her.

"I'm not a yes, no, anything you say type of person," Sam said.

"No!"

Both of them started to laugh again and Sam had to hit his arm one more time.

Quinn stepped forward and put his arm around her.

"If you change your mind and want to talk, let me know," he gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I promise not to say anything to him."

"Thanks Quinn," Sam told him sincerely meaning it.

"I figure I know him better than anyone else does and might be able to help you two," Quinn was very serious she saw.

She had to look away again. Quinn looked across the ranch yard straight into the burning eyes of his youngest brother. He fought a grin and his mouth twitched once. Quinn could see Jake's reaction, his eyes becoming even more smoldering. Quinn let the grin tug on his full lips knowing it would upset Jake even more. Sure enough, Jake's hands flexed into fists a few times while he looked at his brother.

"I better let you get back to your guests," Sam murmured.

Quinn nodded. "Just don't forget."

"I won't and I appreciate it," Sam told him, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

"I'll take you for a ride in the Tahoe soon," Quinn promised with a smile.

"Bryan's taking me for a ride in his Yukon," Sam told him with a giggle.

"I can't believe he got to you first," Quinn muttered. He laughed and left her with a wave.

Jake had watched how easily she had given Quinn a kiss. Yes, it had been a kiss on the cheek, but she seemed so relaxed with them and so uptight with him. All he could think was that she didn't feel anything for him.

Jake sighed. It was time to move on, he guessed. Ha! As if he could. He was too shy to really approach another girl, yet he had never felt shy with Sam. He had always thought she was someone he could tell anything to. Well anything except how he felt about her. How pitiful was that?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Sam didn't see Jake coming and by the time he had come up next to her, she couldn't move away. Well not without looking totally rude.

"Hey," Jake greeted her.

"Hey," Sam returned.

The two of them just stood there, neither really looking at the other. Jake toed the dirt with his boot as Sam put her hands in her back pockets and rocked on her feet.

"Ready for roundup?" Jake asked.

"You're going to lose your bet," Sam said at the same time.

"What bet?" Jake asked.

"Our bet," Sam answered, not looking at him.

"You're not going to be my friend in a year?" Jake asked, surprised.

Sam looked up at him. "Do you…" Sam broke off and looked away again.

"Do I what?" Jake wondered.

Sam shook her head and took a step away from him. Uh uh, not this time. Jake put his hand on her arm, keeping her from getting away. Sam looked down at his hand, then into his face.

"Do I what?" Jake asked again.

Sam sighed.

"Do you really think…," Sam broke off again.

Jake pinned her with his eyes.

"Yeah," Jake nodded.

"We're not…," Sam wasn't having any luck saying what she wanted to say and broke off again. Usually it was Jake who was tongue tied, not her.

"Why aren't we?" Jake inquired.

"We are?"

"Aren't we?"

"I thought…," Sam shook her head and dragged her eyes away from his.

"Maybe that's the problem," Jake told her.

Her eyes slid to his again. "What's that?"

"You're thinking too much," Jake shrugged. He looked up to see his mother motioning to him and he walked away from Sam towards Maxine.

Sam watched him go. Her eyes strayed to his butt and hard thighs. She knew how hard those thighs were from hitting him. For an instant, she wondered….No! Oh gosh, no! Sam felt the blush and put her hands to her cheeks just as Jake glanced at her.

Sam saw him looking at her and had to turn away, hurrying in the opposite direction. Oh my gosh, she had actually thought of Jake like _that_!

Jake couldn't help but see the blush as she turned and almost ran away again. He had no clue what was going on with her these days. He felt he had done his best and he hoped it would be enough and that their friendship wouldn't end. It had nothing to do with their bet, either.

Jake genuinely cared about Samantha, even if nothing more became of them than the friendship they'd had. They had always been there for each other, even though he still blamed himself for her accident.

He sighed and went to get the ice that his mother had asked him to get for the coolers. Maybe he needed to talk to Adam or Nate about all of this. Someone who was more experienced than he was, but not Quinn or Bryan. Jake shuddered at the teasing he felt he would receive from Quinn and Bryan.

His feelings were raw enough right now. He didn't need the twins adding more to it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

A bit later, Jake came over to where Sam was standing with Adam, Nate and Bryan. Sam watched as he approached and almost snorted. He was approaching her as he would a skittish horse.

Jake saw the amusement in her eyes and couldn't help the slight twitch of his mouth in response. He knew that she knew what he was doing.

"Hey Jakey," Adam clapped his youngest brother on the back. "Next year it's you, huh?"

"Yeah," Jake rubbed the back of his neck. "Think Mom will skip the party?"

The other four snorted. Jake met Sam's eyes as she shook her head as if she couldn't believe he'd even ask.

"You're her baby," Nate teased. "Trust me, you're having a party."

"Great," Jake muttered, causing the other four to snort again.

Somehow, Jake and Sam were left alone a few minutes later, his brothers making excuses that they had some things to do.

"Are you ready for roundup?" Jake asked her again.

"Yeah, I think so," Sam nodded. "You?"

Jake nodded.

"What time are you guys leaving?" Sam wondered.

"I think about four," Jake answered. "Do you want to come with us?"

"What?" Sam's head snapped up.

"It's not camping but the best I can do," Jake grinned.

"I miss not camping with you guys," Sam sighed.

Jake nodded in understanding. He missed her not being able to come.

"Maybe some day we can make a day trip," Jake said with a shrug.

"Jake, it takes all day to get there," Sam reminded him.

"Not if you take the back way in," Jake's tomcat grin spread across his face, his eyes squinting.

"What?" Sam yelped. "You're kidding me."

"Nope," Jake shook his head.

"Why do you ride all day there then?" Sam wondered.

"They don't know about it," Jake told her. "I found it when I was riding out that way."

"When was this?" Sam asked. Then she knew by the look on his face. It had to have been when she was gone to San Francisco. "Oh."

"I missed so much," Sam almost whispered to herself.

Jake only nodded. He couldn't think of that time. He had been lost when she had left and for such a long time afterwards. Jake knew he had worried his family, making them wonder if he was damaged forever. Jake had wondered himself. He had beaten himself up so badly over what had happened. He was still beating himself up over it, but trying harder not to. It helped having her back.

"So would you?" Jake asked.

"I'd love to," Sam's gaze strayed to Dad and Brynna. She felt like an outsider sometimes in her own home now that they were expecting a baby. "I'm not sure though if I'd be allowed to."

Jake took looked at Wyatt and Brynna. Then he looked back at Sam.

"How are you with their having a baby?" he asked.

He saw the pain in her face before she shrugged. Jake knew she wasn't as nonchalant about it as she pretended to be. He wondered if it was due to her knowing how the baby was produced or just that she had been an only child for so long.

"It's weird," is all she said. She wouldn't look at him and he guessed it was probably due to both issues.

"You might talk to one of my brothers," Jake suggested.

Sam looked up at him quickly. Then she nodded.

"That's an idea," she murmured.

"I don't know what it's like," Jake shrugged. "They do though."

"Thank you," Sam said softly, so softly he barely heard her.

"You're welcome," he told her. To him they both sounded so formal.

"Sam!" Dad called to her and she looked over that way. "We're leaving."

"Okay," Sam called back, looking briefly at Jake before taking a few steps towards her family.

"Let me know if you want us to pick you up," Jake reminded her.

"Oh," Sam had forgotten. "I'll call if I do."

Jake would bet she wouldn't call and sighed as she walked away from him. He watched her, her curves showing in the short pants that she was wearing. He already liked her butt, its roundness now drawing his eyes to it. The pockets only drew his attention to her butt, as if they needed to. Jake snorted to himself. He didn't need such aids to notice her. She was growing up and he was still interested despite his trying not to be


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Jake was surprised when he received a text message from Sam a bit later stating that she would ride with them the next morning. He had forgotten that she had gotten a cell phone for her fifteenth birthday.

He was happy that she was going with them. He wanted to spend some time with her, just the two of them being friends again.

Jake got up and left his room to find Nate. They would be taking Nate's truck tomorrow and Jake figured he better make sure it was okay that Sam went with them. He laughed to himself. He guessed he should have cleared it with his brothers before he had asked Sam, but it was too late now.

"Hey," Jake found Nate in the kitchen where he was helping himself to another piece of cake.

"Hey Jakey," Nate pointed to the cake.

"No thanks," Jake shook his head but got himself a can of soda from the refrigerator. Then he leaned against the counter.

"What's up?" Nate could tell Jake hadn't come out just to get a soda.

"Sam's coming with us tomorrow," Jake told him, opening the can and taking a sip.

"Oh yeah?" Nate looked at his little brother. "Where are we going to put her?"

Jake looked up at Nate in confusion.

"Did you forget Adam's coming this year?" Nate laughed. "My truck fits five."

Jake groaned. He had forgotten.

"I sure don't mind if she comes along," Nate continued. "You know I love Sammy. She can sit on one of your laps." He gave Jake a calculating look.

"One of our laps?" Jake chuckled. He gave Nate a look right back.

"Okay, you're not as dumb as you look," Nate teased. He laughed with Jake.

"How's that going?" Nate asked. He heard Jake's deep sigh.

"Not well," Jake murmured.

"What's wrong?"

Jake shook his head.

"Have you just let go and kissed her?" Nate wondered.

From the look on Jake's face, he'd bet no.

"I, uh, tried and she, uh, ran the other, uh, way," Jake stammered.

Nate snorted. Jake colored, but gave him a look.

"Did you have bad breath?" Nate asked, having a hard time keeping his laughter inside.

Jake gave him another look.

"Is that a no?" Nate wondered.

Jake didn't say anything.

"She's young, Jake," Nate reminded him. "Just be her friend. The rest will come if it's supposed to."

Jake nodded.

"Of course, having her sitting on your lap for two hours in my truck might help too," Nate couldn't hold back his laughter any longer.

Jake's mouth twitched before he too started to laugh.

"You might talk to her about having a new baby born into the family," Jake told him after they had settled down.

"She having issues about her stepmother expecting?" Nate guessed.

"She hasn't come right out and said so, but I think so," Jake nodded.

"How or just that she won't be an only child?" Nate wondered.

"Not sure," Jake said. "I'd guess both."

"No kid wants to think about their parents having sex," Nate murmured.

"No," Jake agreed.

"Especially when you're that age," Nate said. "Rough age for anyone, but especially girls."

Jake nodded.

"I know you haven't yet, but guys can and everyone things they're the man," Nate continued. "If girls do it, they're thought of as being loose even though they're having the same hormonal shifts that guys are."

Jake rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable talking about sex with his brother. He was afraid he'd be teased that he still hadn't experienced it.

Nate gave him a sympathetic look.

"I told you before you can come to me anytime," Nate reminded him.

"Yeah I know and I appreciate it," Jake told him. "Thanks Nate."

"Not a problem, little man," Nate said, meaning it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sam looked at the full truck the next morning and then looked at Jake. "I'll just go with Dad."

"It's okay, Brat," Jake told her. "We have room."

"Where? As a hood ornament?" Sam almost yelped.

Jake snorted and Sam hit his arm.

"You can sit on my lap if you want," Jake gave a longsuffering sigh.

Inside the truck his brothers were trying their hardest not to burst out laughing.

"Are you sure?" Sam gave him a doubtful look.

"We've already loaded Ace," Jake pointed out. "You might as well come with us."

"If you're sure," Sam was giving him the opportunity to change his mind.

"Sure, come on," Jake gave her arm a tug. He got into the backseat first. Sam looked at Quinn and Bryan who were also in the backseat. My gosh, the truck looked like it was inhabited by a grove of redwood trees.

Bryan and Quinn gave her encouraging grins. Adam was turned in the passenger seat, watching.

"Come on Sammy," Nate said from the driver seat.

"Okay, you asked for it," Sam climbed onto Jake's lap.

She elbowed him in the head as she tried to get comfortable.

"Oops, sorry," Sam apologized.

"It's okay, Sammy," Quinn quipped. "He's still got one good eye."

The rest of them started laughing and Sam giggled. She ended up kicking Quinn's shin.

"Ow, you did that on purpose," Quinn complained.

"Who me?" Sam finally got settled.

Jake reached as far as he could to grab the door and shut it behind Sam. He jostled her and she grabbed onto him when she felt like she was going to fall off his lap.

"Wanna sit on my lap for a second, Sammy?" Quinn asked.

"Nah, I'm okay," Sam shook her head as Jake finally got the door shut. She heard the door lock and she leaned her back against it then. Jake's arms came around her waist to hold her there.

"Thanks," Sam smiled down at him.

"Y'welcome," Jake murmured.

He saw Adam and Nate meet each others' eyes, grins on their faces before Nate started the truck and pulled out.

Sam's back started to ache a few miles down the road from bumping up against the door. She arched her back trying to work out the stiffness.

"Angle around and lean against me," Jake told her.

He saw Nate's smiling eyes in the rearview mirror as Sam did as he had suggested. She sighed in relief when she felt his hard chest against her back. She nodded at him in thanks and smiled back at him when he smiled at her.

By the time the sky started to pink with the dawn, Sam was asleep on Jake's lap. Her head was tucked against his shoulder.

"Jake Ely, you dawg," Bryan laughed quietly.

"Nice goin', little brother," Adam turned in his seat.

"You really aren't as dumb as you look," Quinn told him with a grin.

"I knew she'd be tired having to get up this early," Jake admitted.

"Way to go, Jakey," Nate said.

Jake tightened his arms around her waist. She felt wonderful in his arms like this. He looked out of the window, totally serious now. He wanted her. Not necessarily in just _that_ way, but he was dead serious about wanting more than mere friendship with her.

What he wouldn't give to be able to hold her like this in his arms without tricking her into it. His brothers heard his sigh and somehow they knew and hoped for him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Sam awoke when Nate brought the truck to a stop where they would stage for roundup. At first she nuzzled into Jake's neck, fighting awakening. Jake groaned to himself. Then she lifted her head and looked around.

"Have I been sleeping on you?" Sam yawned, covering her open mouth with her hand.

"Yeah," Jake tried to sound nonchalant, hoping he pulled it off.

"Just like the old days, huh?" Sam joked.

_Not hardly_, Jake thought. So much had changed since then and not just their bodies.

"You can make me sleep on someone else on the way home" Sam told him, yawning again.

_The hell I will_!

"You're fine," he said out loud.

"Thanks," Sam smiled at him before looking around. "Wow we're here already?"

"Just got here," Jake assured her.

His brothers were getting out of the truck and Jake reluctantly opened the door next to him so she could get out. He wanted nothing more than to lock the doors, keeping her on his lap forever. Or at least until she fell in love with him. Hmm, that might be forever. Jake frowned.

"Okay, I'm getting off," Sam misinterpreted his frown.

Jake knew it and sighed as she got down off of his lap. He steadied her on her feet as she stood there. Then he got out behind her.

Nate already had the ramp down on the trailer and Sam went and stood next to Bryan, waiting her turn to get her horse.

"You were snoring like a buzz saw," Bryan teased.

Adam, who was standing nearby, laughed.

"Oh I was not," Sam scoffed, hitting Bryan.

"Yes you were," Quinn told her. "I was sitting next to you and Jake and couldn't hear myself think."

"You think?" Sam asked, a sarcastic grin on her face.

"Har, har," Quinn grumbled. "Let's remember who is the high school graduate and who isn't."

"You're three years older than me," Sam reminded him. "You should graduate before me."

"Though there are rumors he just graduated because the teachers felt sorry for him," Jake said.

The others stared at him for a moment.

"Did Jake just make a joke?" Adam asked, looking at Bryan.

"It sounded like a joke," Nate said.

Jake started to chuckle and the others started to laugh.

"My goodness!" Bryan yelped. "He _did_ make a joke."

"Sam needs to ride on his lap more often," Quinn said with a twinkle in his eye towards Jake.

"If that's what it takes," Sam laughed.

"Witnesses," Adam said to Sam though he looked at Jake.

Jake met his older brother's eye and the two exchanged meaningful looks. Jake knew what his brothers were doing. He appreciated the fact that they knew how much she meant to him.

When the others had gotten their horses out of the trailer, Jake went up to get Witch. Everyone gave her a lot of room as she came down and immediately trumpeted a challenge to the geldings.

"Typical female," Adam teased.

"Oh?" Sam raised her eyebrows as she saddled Ace.

"Always has to make their presence known," Adam joked.

"Not all females," Sam argued.

"Most of them," Bryan said.

"I don't," Sam put her hands on her hips and stared them down.

"Sure you do," Quinn told her.

"I do not," Sam insisted.

"You wore that wussy pink backpack for years so you'd be noticed," Quinn said.

"I did not," Sam retorted. "I wore it because it had a pony on it."

"It _did_ get you attention," Nate added.

"Oh like I wanted boys pulling up my skirts, tripping me, pulling my hair, among other things," Sam snapped.

"Good thing Jakey was around to protect them from you," Adam winked at her.

"I could have used him in the seventh and eighth grades," Sam murmured, looking at Jake.

Jake had stilled, knowing that's when she had been in San Francisco. He hated thinking about the time she had been gone.

"What happened then?" Bryan asked.

"Bra straps," was all Sam would say.

The five guys looked at each other knowing that Sam was telling them that the boys in her class had snapped her bra straps.

"I wouldn't have done that," Quinn said, almost remorsefully.

"No?" Sam asked.

"Heck no!" Quinn laughed. "I was _un_snapping them at that age."

Sam's jaw dropped as the other four snorted. Then she giggled and hit him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"How ya doin'?" Jake asked, handing her a bottle of water.

"Fine, thanks," Sam answered, putting the reins between her teeth and screwing off the bottle top before holding the reins in her left hand again.

"Hot, huh?" Jake looked over at her.

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "Wish we could go swimming."

Jake grinned and Sam smiled back at him, remembering the times they swam together in the river.

"We definitely need to do a day trip," Jake said.

"Or just go swimming in the river when we get home," Sam responded.

"No rope," Jake pointed out.

"That's true," Sam nodded. "Okay, day trip it is. _You_ get to convince Dad."

"I'll see what I can do," Jake promised.

"Really?" Sam was surprised.

"Sure," Jake answered.

"That would be cool," Sam was enthused. "They trust you more than they do me."

"For some reason," Jake grumbled.

Sam could see he was thinking of her accident again.

"Stop it," Sam told him.

Jake just shook his head, looking out over the cattle as they rode.

"What happened to Flick, do you know?" Sam changed the subject a bit later.

"No," Jake shook his head. "Can't say I miss him." He flashed Sam a smile and she smiled back at him. He didn't realize his eyes softened towards her under his black Stetson. Sam saw it. It made her feel even warmer than she already was.

"I should ask Brynna if he's still at Willow Springs," Sam murmured.

"You still worried about the baby?" Jake asked.

Sam merely nodded. "I need to talk to one of your brothers."

"I would suggest Adam or Nate," Jake said.

"I'll see which one is free when we get back," Sam responded.

Jake nodded.

"I guess I just can't understand why I wasn't enough," Sam murmured, surprising Jake.

His eyes flicked to hers and he could see the pain there.

"It's doubtful you would have been an only child had your mom lived," Jake reminded her gently.

He heard her deep sigh.

"I know."

They rode in silence for awhile.

"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't fifteen years between children," Sam thought out loud.

"Yeah, you're grown and now there will be a little baby in the house," Jake said.

"Exactly," Sam looked over at him, smiling softly at him. Jake smiled softly in response.

"By the time it graduates from high school, I'll be in my thirties," Sam shook her head in wonderment. "I'll prolly be married and have children. I can't imagine it, can you?" She looked over at him.

Jake took his time meeting her gaze. He hoped she'd be married to _him_ and having _his_ children, but he didn't want her reading that on his face. He carefully blanked out his expression before he glanced at her.

"No, I can't imagine you in your thirties," Jake gave her a lopsided grin.

"Well, just remember if I'm thirty three, you're thirty five," Sam returned his grin. "You'll prolly have gray hair."

Jake snorted. "Gee, I wonder who will give them to me."

"Are you planning on blaming me?" Sam laughed teasingly.

"I hope to," Jake didn't realize he had said it out loud.

"What?" Sam asked. She hadn't quite heard him.

Jake froze, realizing that he had said it out loud.

"I said, ''Course'," Jake lied.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Even though Flick wasn't on roundup, Linc Slocum was. Sam couldn't stand the man and she didn't trust him a bit. Whenever he was around, she felt that he was watching her as if she'd lead him to the Phantom. Even if they weren't on the same nighthawking shifts, he'd somehow show up on hers and try to engage her in conversation.

Luckily Jake saw and understood what was going on and always managed to stay close to Sam when Linc was around. Linc would smirk and the two friends could hear the man mutter nasty things about their relationship under his breath. Sam would blush and Jake would look like he wanted to smash Linc's face in. Jake's brothers were always on the shifts with Sam and Jake and kept Jake from actually doing it.

"Why is Linc on roundup and not Jen?" Bryan asked Sam.

Sam was riding drag and Bryan had come back to keep her company for awhile. They both knew he was also keeping Linc away from her.

"Jen's mom likes to go visit relatives while the men are gone," Sam told him. "She doesn't want to go alone so she drags Jen along."

"I bet Jen likes that, huh?" Bryan said.

"Not much," Sam responded. "I think she'd rather do roundup even with Linc along rather than visit relatives."

"Who wouldn't?" Bryan laughed and Sam laughed along with him. Even though this was only her second roundup since being back, she wouldn't trade it for much.

They saw Jake coming towards them on Witch. He looked surprised to see Bryan with her and for a moment, Sam thought Jake would turn his mare around and leave. She felt Bryan glance at her and she could tell by his expression he had thought so too. Gosh, Jake Ely was weird sometimes.

"Hey," Jake said as he turned his mare to walk with them. "I didn't realize you had company."

"Yeah, you know I can't talk to more than one person at a time," Sam retorted. She heard Bryan snort.

"Funny," Jake told her.

He made Sam feel bad.

"Sorry," Sam murmured.

Jake's eyes met hers. "It's okay, _Brat_," he said, emphasizing the nickname.

Bryan snorted again.

Both Jake and Sam gave him a look. Bryan only looked more amused.

"I'll let you two work this out," Bryan told them, pulling Rocky back and loping off. They could hear his chuckle as he rode away.

"I am sorry," Sam looked over at Jake.

"It's okay," he said again, not using the nickname this time.

Sam's mouth quirked and Jake gave her a lopsided grin.

"Hey, do you want to go and water the horses with me this evening?" Jake asked.

"Sure," Sam responded.

"Maybe we could go wading in the water while we're there," Jake suggested.

"Jake Ely, every once in awhile you do have a brilliant idea," Sam laughed.

"Good to know," Jake laughed with her. The two smiled at each other, looking forward to cooling off in the water.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Sam looked over at Linc Slocum over dinner. He was talking about the Phantom again. She knew he was just trying to get a rise out of her and she bit her lip to keep her retort inside.

"I think the BLM needs to round up all the range rats," Linc was saying. "They're just eating the grass that our cattle need to eat and they're just worthless animals."

Jake saw the turmoil on Sam's face.

"Well Linc," Jake spoke up, surprising everyone. "If that's true then why did you chase after the Phantom last year and offer me to track him for you?"

Sam's head turned in Jake's direction. He knew that Linc's offer to him was a surprise to her. His dark brown eyes met hers for an instant and he saw the understanding in hers before she looked away again. They'd talk about it later.

"Now Jake," Linc began, looking around and noticing that everyone was now watching him. "Where would you get that idea, that I wanted you to track the Phantom? It's illegal, don't you know?"

"Maybe from the conversation that we had, where you stated, 'I'll pay you two hundred dollars if you track the Phantom for me'," Jake said.

"You must have misunderstood," Linc told him.

"Hmmm," Jake murmured, going back to eating his dinner.

Sam knew for certain that Jake hadn't misunderstood. Jake was a lot smarter than most people gave him credit for. They assumed he was dumb because he was shy and didn't talk much. You had to know Jake to understand just how brilliant he could be when he applied himself at something. Horse training and tracking were just two examples of this.

"You ready?" he asked Sam a bit later.

"Yeah," Sam got to her feet and gave Gram her dirty plate. "Jake and I are taking the horses to water."

"Okay honey," Gram smiled at her. "Be careful."

Sam was tempted to roll her eyes, but didn't. Jake was waiting for her and she followed him as he went towards the remuda. They didn't talk on the way which didn't surprise Sam. Jake had prolly used up all his words for the day in confronting Linc at dinner. Sam snorted and Jake looked over at her.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was just thinking of what you said to Linc."

"He did ask me," Jake told her.

"Oh I have no doubt of it," Sam assured him. "Was this before or after you knew he was Blackie?"

"Both," Jake responded.

Sam just nodded. She knew only their friendship had probably kept him from doing it after finding out it was the horse which had hurt her.

"Thank you," Sam murmured.

"Don't thank me," Jake warned her. "If he hurts you again…"

"Give it a rest Jake," Sam snapped.

"How can I?"

"Jake, he's not going to hurt me again," Sam sighed.

"You don't know that," Jake grumbled.

"Yes I do," Sam put her hands on her hips.

They stared at each other, neither giving an inch.

"Just forget it, Jake," Sam started stalking away from him.

"Brat," Jake called to her, but Sam ignored him. He went after her, his hand grabbing her arm. She tried to shake him off, but he held on.

"I worry," Jake murmured.

"Don't," Sam told him.

"I can't turn it off and on," Jake informed her.

"Try."

Jake sighed, taking his hand away.

"I do try," he responded. "I am trying."

Their eyes met.

"Okay," Sam said.

"That's all I can promise to do is try," Jake rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you still want to go with me or no?"

"Let's go," Sam started towards the remuda again. She really did want to wade in the water and cool off.

Jake followed along behind her, not sure he'd ever be able to not think about Sam getting hurt. He cared too much for her not to worry.

"I really don't want to argue with you," Sam said.

"Why, when you're so good at it?" Jake teased.

He laughed when Sam hit him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Why haven't we done this before?" Sam asked her jeans rolled up as she waded in the stream.

"Dunno," Jake shrugged. "Guess I never thought of it."

"Shame on you," Sam teased. "And you call yourself a friend."

Jake chuckled. "Guess I'm not a good friend."

Sam's head whirled in his direction so quickly he was surprised.

"Why would you say that?" Sam yelped.

Jake shrugged.

"Are you serious?" Sam asked.

Jake shrugged again.

"I can't believe you," Sam kicked water at him, drenching him.

"Hey," Jake jumped back. "Why did you do that for?"

"Think about it, you moron," Sam splashed out of the stream and sat down to pull on her socks and boots.

"Brat, I was joking," Jake told her.

"No you weren't," Sam shook her head. She felt the tears in her eyes and tried to blink them away.

Jake stooped down in front of her. "Yes Sam, I was."

Sam looked into his eyes, seeing the truth of his words. She gave a sigh and wiped her tears.

"What's got you so upset?" Jake asked.

"I don't know," Sam answered honestly. "I feel like you don't want to be my friend sometimes."

"You're imagining it," Jake stood back up.

"Am I?" Sam wondered.

"Yes," Jake said.

"I don't think I am," Sam told him. "You've changed around me."

"No," Jake shook his head, but he rubbed the back of his neck.

Sam knew then there was more going on then what Jake was saying. She also knew there was no way she could force him to tell her. Nobody could force Jake to do anything, but especially make him say something when he didn't want to.

She sighed again. She would have to be satisfied, for now, with his explanation. For now.

Jake saw her luminous brown eyes meet his. He saw the questions there. How could he ever explain? Would she care that he cared for her as more than a friend? Jake was too shy, even with Sam, to say anything aloud to her about this. It was easier right now to just let her figure it out on her own.

"You ready to go back?" Jake asked.

Sam's eyes searched his. He shuttered his eyes to her.

"Yeah," Sam sighed. She stood up, stomping her feet to get them completely into her boots. "Thanks for this."

"You're welcome," Jake smiled. Sam couldn't help smiling back at him.

"We need to do this more often," she told him. "We don't goof off enough any more."

"No, we don't," Jake agreed.

"Why is that?" Sam wondered.

"Good question," Jake said.

"Because you've gotten boring in your old age," Sam teased.

Jake's mouth curved up, his teeth white in his dark face. "That must be it."

"Finally! We agree on something," Sam gave him a shove. She heard him as he chuckled, pretending to almost lose his balance.

She jumped on his back then and he almost did fall. Sam screamed as he struggled to regain his balance.

"You could give a guy some warning, Brat," Jake looked over his shoulder at her. She smiled at his smile.

"That wouldn't be any fun," Sam said, locking her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "Giddyup!"

"You weigh more than you did the last time you did this," Jake teased.

"Are you saying I'm fat?" Sam almost screeched.

"'Course not," Jake rubbed his ear, not sure he'd ever regain full use of that ear. "Though you're crazy if you think I'm going to let you ride on my back all the way back to camp."

"I thought you said you were my friend," Sam teased.

"I am your friend, Brat," Jake suddenly wasn't smiling any more. "I'll always be your friend."

"You just want that free meal," Sam joked.

"Yeah, that's it," Jake responded.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Sam was slowly circling the herd and yawning. It was almost midnight and then her nighthawking shift would be over. She couldn't wait to go to sleep. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

Ace stopped and snorted. Sam's eyes snapped open, not having realized that she had closed them. She looked around, wondering what her horse had seen. Then she saw him.

The Phantom practically glowed in the moonlight. He was waiting for her near one of the pinion trees. Sam left the herd, urging Ace forward towards the silver stallion. The bay mustang greeted his old leader by touching noses with him.

"Zanzibar," Sam whispered, taking a look around to make sure nobody else was around.

The big stallion laid his head across Ace's withers, his chin in Sam's lap. Sam rubbed him between the ears and she heard her horse sigh.

"I've missed you, buddy," Sam murmured, still rubbing the horse.

The Phantom nudged her hand and Sam thought he wanted her to continue to rub him. She moved Ace forward a bit so she could rub the stallion's neck. Sam saw him turn his head to look back at her and he nickered.

"What boy?" Sam asked. She rubbed his withers and the stallion bobbed his head. "Did I find a good spot to rub?"

The Phantom nickered again, bobbing his head as he continued to look back at her. Sam gasped as she recognized the sign. He was telling her to ride him. Blackie used to do this when he was younger and wanted Sam to climb up on his back.

"Oh I can't," Sam whispered, but she was already looking around to check if anyone else was watching. She didn't see anyone though she knew Jake would be wondering where she was in a few minutes. He was circling the herd with his brothers sharing Sam's shift.

Sam eased Ace a bit closer to the Phantom and she couldn't resist slipping onto the stallion's back. He pawed the earth with his front foot, snorting under her.

"Are we going somewhere, beauty?" Sam asked and the horse shot forward. She grabbed a fistful of mane so not to fall off. Ace ran alongside.

"Sam!" she heard Jake's shout but it only made the stallion beneath her run faster. Sam bent over his neck as he ran, the camp quickly fading into the darkness.

The horse quickened his pace and Sam wondered if Jake was following on Witch. He was going to be very angry with her, but she didn't get a chance to ride the stallion very often.

She stuck to his back like a burr as he ran faster and faster. Sam had no idea where he was taking her. She was at his mercy. They had left Ace behind, but her little mustang was still following them.

Sam heard the ringing of the rock under the great stallion's hooves and ducked her head just before they reached the tunnel. Ace was a few seconds behind.

The Phantom stopped and tossed his head with a snort. There was no doubt in Sam's mind that he was telling her to get off. Sam slid off his back, her legs wobbly. She leaned against the stallion for an instant and then he was gone.

Sam leaned against the stone wall to get her bearings. She heard Ace's breaths next to her and she reached out to touch her horse.

"Jake's gonna have a fit," Sam told the gelding. "I guess we should go back, huh?"

Sam backed Ace through the tunnel until they were out into the night again.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jake's angry voice made her jump.

"Why are you following me?" Sam gave it right back to him. She didn't want him here so close to the Phantom's secret valley. She knew it was too late now, he knew where it was.

"Oh gee, Brat," sarcasm dripped from his voice. Jake was rarely sarcastic so she knew just how mad he was. "I wonder. Are you insane?"

"No, I'm not insane," Sam snapped.

"Coulda fooled me," Jake snapped right back at her. She heard him dismount and wondered if she could mount Ace and ride out of there quickly.

Then she felt him grab her arm and knew it was too late.

"What were you thinking?" Jake asked her.

"Nothing," Sam responded.

"That's right you weren't thinking of anything," Jake sneered. "Nothing except yourself. You obviously don't care about your family or me."

"You?" Sam yelped. "What do you have to do with any of this? You've appointed yourself my guardian for some reason, but you aren't, Jake."

Jake felt as if she had slapped him.

"How do you think Wyatt will react?" Jake wondered.

Sam gasped. "You wouldn't."

"Oh I sure as hell would," Jake warned her.

They both heard the hoof on the stone the instant before the Phantom rushed at Jake, teeth bared.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Jake jerked Sam behind him and took the brunt of the attack from the stallion. Sam stumbled to her knees.

Jake felt the horse's teeth clamp down on his arm and he couldn't help the groan as the horse shook him like a ragdoll. He hit the stallion, but to no avail.

Witch tried to defend her master, but the stallion ignored the kicks and bites he received from the mare. Ace squealed and took off.

"No," Sam screamed at the Phantom. "No!"

The silver stallion either didn't hear Sam, or chose to ignore her. She knew she had no choice but to reveal the horse's secret name in order for her to save Jake. Witch continued trying to save her master.

"No, Zanzibar," Sam yelled and groaned in relief when the stallion dropped Jake. Jake collapsed on the ground. Witch rushed forward to stand between the Phantom, Sam and then Jake.

The mare snaked out her neck and Sam could feel where the mare had just missed biting her. Then she snapped at the stallion who snorted and retreated into the tunnel.

"Witch," Sam murmured to the mare. "Let me help him."

Sam tried taking a step closer to Jake but had to step back when the mare tried to savage her.

"Jake?" Sam called to him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he answered, but Sam could hear the pain in his voice. She started to cry then, knowing he was hurt again and this time it was her fault.

"Witch, please," Sam begged the mare. She heard the snort from the mare, but this time the mare didn't try to bite her.

Sam hurried to Jake who was on the ground holding his arm. She stooped next to him.

"Where did he get you?" Sam asked.

"My arm," Jake responded.

"Damn Ace for running off like that," Sam spat. "I had a flashlight in my saddle bags."

She heard Jake snort.

"You find the strangest times to find something funny," she retorted.

"I have a flashlight in my saddle bag," Jake told her and Sam stood back up.

She wondered if she could get close enough to Witch to get it out. The mare was still baring her teeth in Sam's direction. Sam murmured to her quietly, hoping the big black horse would let her get to the flashlight. Sam heard the snap of the mare's jaws.

"You can't make me feel any worse than I already do," she whispered to the Quarter Horse. "I know I'm responsible. Please Witchy."

Sam moved forward, one hand reaching for the saddle bag as she kept watch on the mare. Witch snorted at Sam, but allowed her to reach into the bag and pull out the flashlight.

"Thank you," Sam told the mare and turned it on, shining it towards Jake. He ducked his head against the light.

"Sorry," Sam murmured and kept the light out of his eyes as she approached him again. "Let me get your coat off."

Gently, Sam removed Jake's coat, noting the tears from the Phantom's teeth. Once she had the coat off, she could see the blood soaking the sleeve where he had gotten bitten. She put her hand to her mouth.

"I need to unbutton your shirt and take a look at the arm," Sam told him.

Jake nodded. He had hoped for years now that some day Sam would take his shirt off when they were alone, but this wasn't what he had in mind. She tugged the shirt out of his jeans. He sucked in a breath as she pulled the shirt off his arm as gently as she could.

When she shined the flashlight on his wounds, Sam gasped. They were pretty severe. Jake looked at them and knew the stallion had marked him for life.

"Oh Jake," Sam barely whispered, but Jake heard her.

"We need to get back," Jake said, trying to shrug his shirt back on.

"Let me," Sam's touch was incredibly tender as he put it up on his shoulder then buttoned up the front. She couldn't help the hug around his chest when she was done.

Normally Jake didn't tolerate hugs but he had to admit her arms around him, hurting as badly as he did, felt wonderful.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed against his chest.

Did she just kiss his shirt over his chest? Jake wanted nothing more than to kiss her right now, even forgetting about the pain the wounds the stallion had given him.

He was in a different kind of pain and he felt it in the tight confines of his jeans. Oh good grief, now was not a good time for his manhood to swell and harden. He couldn't help it. Jake groaned and Sam thought she had hurt him and quickly stepped away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said again, bending over to pick up his coat. "Let me help get this on you."

Jake could care less about his coat right about now, but he let her hold out the sleeve for him to put his arm through. When both arms were through the sleeves and the coat over his shoulders, Sam zipped it up for him.

Then she grabbed the reins of his mare and brought her to Jake.

"Can you hang on with one arm?" Sam asked him.

"Yeah," Jake told her. He was disappointed in himself that he hadn't kissed her when he had the chance.

Sam stuck her boot in Witch's stirrup and swung up on Jake's horse. Jake took a handful of mane with his left hand and swung up behind her.

"Hold on," Sam turned her head to tell him.

Their eyes locked, even in the darkness. Without their realizing it, their heads slowly came together, Jake's mouth inches from Sam's. Witch gave a small jump and Sam turned away to check to make sure the Phantom hadn't returned.

Jake jerked his head back. Another opportunity lost.

"Ready?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Jake murmured.

Sam urged the mare back towards camp.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Sam was concerned when Jake's head came down to rest on her back.

"What's wrong?" she asked over her shoulder. She hadn't urged Witch too quickly, not wanting to jar Jake's arm.

"Hurtin'," Jake admitted.

Sam went from concern to alarm.

"Are you bleeding more?"

"No," Jake's voice was difficult to hear.

"Hang on," Sam told him and felt his left arm tighten around her waist. Sam let out Witch's reins and the mare shot forward.

They were soon in the camp and Sam brought Witch to a halt.

"What's wrong?" Dad asked. "Ace had come in and we were about to come looking for you."

"Jake's hurt," Sam answered.

Dad turned to Jake. "What's wrong Jake?"

"Got bit by a horse," Jake said.

"Can you get down?" Dallas had come up and asked Jake.

Sam saw Jake's brothers behind Dad, looking up at Jake and her.

"Yeah," Jake let go of Sam's waist and slid off the tail of his mare.

"What happened Jake?" Adam came forward to support his brother.

"Got bit," Jake answered again.

Sam swung down from Witch and began to take the tack off the mare.

"I'll do that Sammy," Bryan was there suddenly. "You go with Jakey."

"He doesn't want me there," Sam was sure.

"What happened?" Bryan asked.

Sam could only shake her head. She stood absently patting Witch's neck.

Jake looked back at her, meeting her eyes before allowing the others to lead him towards the white van Gram slept in. She had the first aid kit inside with her.

Bryan finished stripping the tack off of Jake's mare and led Sam along with him.

"Bryan, it's my fault," Sam hissed at him.

"So what?" Bryan told her. "He won't hate you because he got hurt."

"Oh yes he will," Sam fought against Bryan's hand gripping her elbow.

"Sam, we hurt each other all the time," Bryan stopped and explained to her. "Do you think we really tiptoe around each other? We don't hate the other. As long as it's not done on purpose, family forgives each other."

"I'm not family," Sam sighed.

Bryan looked surprised.

"Sammy, if you're not family, who is?" he asked.

Bryan saw the tears well up in Sam's eyes.

"He won't hate you," Bryan insisted. "You didn't bite him did you?" She could hear the teasing in his voice.

"No," Sam shook her head, trying to wipe the tears out of her eyes. "Though it's still my fault."

"Sammy, you two have been through worse," Bryan reminded her.

"Not like this Bry," Sam shook her head again.

His arm came around her shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I may, but after I see how he is," Sam hugged his waist.

Bryan nodded, dropping Jake's tack inside the tent he shared with his brothers and the two of them walked hand in hand to where everyone else was.

Jake was sitting on the bumper of the van while Gram tended to his bites. Sam gasped seeing them again. Jake met her eyes and Sam had to look away.

Quinn met the eyes of Bryan who gave a slight shrug.

"You won't need stitches," Gram was telling Jake. "Have you had a tetanus shot lately?"

"When I broke my leg," Jake responded.

Gram nodded. "Good thing."

It was Jake's turn to nod.

"Sam, you should go to bed," Dad was telling her. 

"I will," Sam promised. "I just wanted to check on Jake."

"You did, so go to bed," Dad said.

Sam opened her mouth to argue but Dad frowned.

"It's okay, Brat," Jake spoke up and Sam's gaze swung to his. "I'll see you in the morning."

They exchanged much in their gazes and finally Sam nodded and headed for her tent.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The night before, Sam had some very erotic dreams about Jake. She had been surprised and Sam couldn't look at Jake in the morning when she had gone to breakfast. Every time she tried, her dream would come back to her and she'd blush and she'd have to look away.

The Ely brothers could see Sam's blushes and their eyes met wondering what was going on. They'd look at Jake who shrugged. He had no idea.

When they headed out, Sam seemed to want to get away from them as quickly as she could. Jake watched her, wondering at her. He'd let her get out to the herd before he'd check on her and try to find out what was going on.

His arm had been stiff this morning and Adam had checked it carefully for infection. Not that Jake would have gone to the hospital if it had. He had a responsibility to the herd of Three Ponies and it would take more than this to make him abandon that responsibility.

He rode towards the back of the herd a short time later and saw Sam pick up her head to watch as he approached her.

"Hey," he greeted her as he turned Witch to ride next to her.

"I'm sorry," Sam rushed out.

"Don't," Jake stopped her.

She turned away from him. He could see her worrying her bottom lip.

"What's goin' on?" Jake wondered.

He saw the blush.

"Nothing," Sam shook her head.

"Listen Brat," Jake sighed. "I won't tell a soul the name if that's what you're worried about."

Sam met his gaze searching his eyes. She was surprised.

"Why are you so surprised?" Jake asked.

"I figured after what happened yesterday, you'd want nothing more than to hurt him," Sam admitted.

"I'd like to," Jake confessed.

Sam sucked in a breath, ignoring the settle down motion Jake gave her.

"However, hurting him would be hurting you," Jake continued.

He saw the surprise in her face again and he sighed.

"My not wanting to hurt you can't be a surprise," he said. "We've been friends a long time."

"Yeah but…," Sam broke off.

"But what?" Jake wondered. "You're still my friend despite the fact your horse tried to eat me for dinner."

"Speaking of dinner, this is what this is all about isn't it?" Sam joked.

Jake's mouth twitched.

"'Course," he teased. "I'm still picturing that lobster tail with that huge steak and a loaded baked potato."

Sam snorted.

"I figured," she gave him an amused glance. Then she sobered. "I really am sorry, Jake. When he grabbed you…" Sam shook her head and he could see the trace of wetness in her eyes.

"Yeah, I kinda saw my life flash before my eyes too," Jake joked.

Sam flicked a glance at him, not believing he could joke about what had happened to him. He gave her a look and a shrug.

"I've had worse," Jake reminded her.

"At least this time you can't cut your cast off," Sam smirked and Jake chuckled.

"Guess not," he said.

He watched her as they rode. Could she be so blind not to see his feelings for her? Apparently so. He saw her glance at him out of the corner of her eye and then look away quickly and blush. Jake was very curious as to why she was blushing so much today, but he didn't ask.

They rode along in companionable silence, neither wanting to bring up what they were both thinking. And so the dance continued.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Do you want me to take her for awhile?" Quinn asked Jake on the way home from roundup. Sam was riding with them again and asleep on Jake's lap.

Jake's eyes flicked to his brother's and he had to chuckle at the expression he saw there. Quinn's eyes were dancing with merriment. He knew darned well that Jake wasn't about to move Sam off his lap, but he had to ask anyway.

"Nah, but thanks," Jake's mouth twitched.

"How's your arm, Jakey?" Adam asked from the front seat.

"Sore," Jake admitted.

"Mom's gonna flip when she sees it," Nate predicted, looking at Jake in the rearview mirror.

"I've had worse," Jake repeated what he had told Sam. Hopefully, his mother wouldn't carry on too long about it. Jake was hoping he could hide it from her for awhile until the worst was over. It was five shades of purple right now with the bruising, plus the scabbed over bite marks.

"When are you going back to Reno?" Bryan asked Adam.

"Prolly in the morning," Adam answered. "I'd rather head out soon after we get home, but I doubt Mom will go for it."

The five brothers laughed softly. Their mom might be small, but she got her way. None of them wanted to cross her.

"Maybe she'll be so intent on Jake's arm, she won't notice you slipping out the door," Quinn joked.

"We can hope," Adam laughed. "Kit's due in Reno next weekend for one of the rodeos."

"Really?" Bryan mused. "We should go up to see it."

"Come on up and stay with me," Adam offered.

"It would be good to see Kit again," Nate said.

Jake nodded.

"Plus all the rodeo groupies," Quinn put in. Jake groaned, but the rest of his brothers laughed.

"Oh yes, there are benefits," Bryan laughed.

"Think Wyatt would let Sammy come?" Adam asked Jake, surprising him.

"I doubt it," Jake murmured.

"I can promise she'll have her own room," Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a lock on the door?" Quinn asked with a grin.

Jake gave him a dirty look.

"Just in case you're tempted, little brother," Quinn's grin grew.

"More likely it will need a deadbolt to keep your ass out of there," Jake retorted.

"I'd never deny it," Quinn shrugged, that maddening grin still on his face.

"Ask him," Adam said to Jake. "All he can do is say no. He let her ride with us."

"Yeah, well there's a big difference between letting her ride in a truck with us back and forth to roundup and spending a weekend with six guys in a house," Jake told him.

"She used to go camping with six guys and she didn't have a lock on the door," Bryan pointed out.

"But he never knew she shared a sleeping bag with Jake," Quinn responded.

"And he doesn't ever need to know that," Jake said.

"Of course not," Nate agreed. "He'd hang you by your gonads if he knew."

"If Jake still had them," Quinn laughed. "Wyatt would cut them off."

Jake flinched but he could imagine Wyatt's reaction if he knew that Jake and Sam had shared a sleeping bag even though the two of them were too young to actually do anything. That wasn't the case now though Jake was mindful of her age. Despite the fact he cared for her more than as just her friend, he would never try anything with her. They were both too young.

That was the difference between him and his brothers. They prolly wouldn't care and would make a move on her regardless if she were underage.

"What are you laughing at?" Adam surprised Jake. He hadn't realized he had snorted.

"Nothin'," Jake shook his head. "Just thinkin' about a few things."

"Like how you're going to get Wyatt to let her go to Reno with us?" Bryan asked.

"Among other things," Jake responded.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Jake was at River Bend a few days later to train a new horse that had come in. It was an Appaloosa mare owned by Linc Slocum. Wyatt hadn't been thrilled to take on one of Linc's mares, but when he offered double the price Wyatt usually charged, Wyatt couldn't turn it down.

Jake was glad Wyatt hadn't turned it down. His cut would be more than he had made last month in training horses.

When Jake had arrived at River Bend, Wyatt and his cowboys were saddling up their horses to go out on the range for the day. Jake had approached Wyatt, tentatively asking about Sam going to Reno with the Elys to see Kit in the rodeo. Wyatt had told Jake he'd think about it, surprising Jake, Dallas, Pepper and Ross, all who had thought Wyatt would say no almost immediately.

Sam came out of the house and saw Witch tied up in the shade from the barn. She peeked through the railing and saw Jake working the Appy mare.

"Hey, she's nice," Sam said.

"Yeah," Jake nodded, concentrating on the mare.

"Sorry," Sam murmured.

"It's okay," Jake brought the mare closer to where Sam was standing.

The mare blew at Sam and so Sam rubbed the mare's nose.

"How's your arm?" Sam wondered, looking up at Jake.

"Okay," Jake assured her. He saw the skeptical look she gave him and his mouth twitched.

"Your mom find out yet?"

"No," Jake shook his head. "I'm hoping she won't until afterwards."

"Even if the bruises fade, she'll see the scars," Sam pointed out.

"Yeah but by then it will be too late," Jake shrugged.

"You are insane," Sam shook her head at him.

Jake just gave her his tomcat lying in the sun grin and Sam wanted to hit him. He saw it in her face and his grin grew in its smugness. She wanted to hit him even more.

He backed the mare away from her.

"Smart move," Sam told him.

Jake chuckled. "You don't have a poker face."

"I'll have to work on that," Sam teased, then whirled around when she heard the squealing tires on the bridge. The appaloosa mare reared and shied as Linc Slocum's Cadillac fishtailed on the dirt in the ranch yard.

Sam pressed herself against the rails of the pen, hoping he would stop in time. He did, but barely. Sam checked on Jake who was trying to sooth the mare. She could tell by the tightness of Jake's jaw that he was pretty upset.

"Samantha, have you seen Jake?" Linc asked after throwing the driver's door open and heaving his bulk out.

"The last I saw of him, he was trying to control the mare you scared to death," Sam snapped.

"Jake?" Linc bellowed, ignoring Sam's sarcasm.

Sam looked through the rails and Linc came up and looked, seeing Jake calming the mare.

"Rachel's disappeared," Linc shouted.

"Lands, Linc," Gram had come out of the house, wiping her hands on her apron. "Where could she have disappeared to?"

"I don't know, but I want to hire Jake to track her for me," Linc's voice was loud in the yard. "She took off on Champ."

Sam glanced at Jake and she could tell he didn't relish the idea of tracking and finding Rachel. Not that Sam could blame him.

"Has she been upset?" Gram asked.

_How would you ever know?_ Sam thought.

She heard Jake's snort and grinned at him knowing he had picked up what she had been thinking.

"Not that I know of," Linc answered Gram. "She wanted a red Porsche but I bought her a black one instead."

Gram's jaw dropped.

"That would upset anyone," Sam muttered.

"Jake will you come look for her?" Linc asked.

"Let me put up your mare," Jake responded.

"Let Samantha do that," Linc said.

Sam crossed her arms over her chest. Yeah right!

"Samantha should go with Jake," Gram suggested. "Rachel might like to have another female along."

Sam heard Jake's snort again as he stripped the tack off of Linc's mare. Sam tried to hide her grin. There was no way Rachel would want Sam within a mile of her whether Jake found her or not.

Once Jake had put the tack away, he and Sam got into Linc's car and Linc barreled out of the River Bend yard towards Gold Dust. Sam was thankful she had her seatbelt on since Linc was driving recklessly towards his ranch. Sam hung on to the door handle in the backseat.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Don't even think about it," Jake told Sam as they went to catch a couple of Linc's horses to ride to go look for Rachel. He had seen Sam look towards Jen's house.

"I was just looking," Sam insisted.

"We don't have time to wait around for her to come with us," Jake said. "I need to get back as soon as I can to finish that horse for today."

"Okay," Sam nodded.

The two of them caught and then saddled the horses and swung up.

"Are you coming, Mr. Slocum?" Sam asked, surprised the man hadn't saddled a horse.

"No, you two go ahead," Linc told them, walking towards the house.

"Come on," Jake reined his horse towards the ridge.

"Why do you think she went this way?" Sam asked, following him.

"The tracks," Jake pointed to the ground.

Sam looked down and saw so many tracks she couldn't tell where any of them went.

"Lucky guess," Sam teased and Jake chuckled.

"I guess all those years of having someone lay tracks for me is going to pay off, huh?" Jake said, glancing down at the ground again.

"Will you take his reward money?" Sam wondered.

"Prolly," Jake kept riding. "I can always use it."

He flicked his eyes to her. "Why?"

"No reason," Sam answered. "I'd take it."

Jake nodded. "She came off here." He pointed towards the ground.

Sam looked down and didn't see anything. "You faker."

Jake's mouth twitched, urging his horse forward. "Bet me."

"Steak dinner?" Sam laughed, following him.

"I'll already have that this time next year," Jake reminded her.

"Maybe," Sam murmured.

He looked sharply at her. "You planning on dumping our friendship so you don't have to watch me each lobster and steak?"

"Maybe," Sam teased. "I might call you names the day before my birthday just so I don't have to."

"Like that day is any different than any other day," Jake gave her a lopsided grin. "There she is."

Sam looked to where he pointed. Rachel was arguing with the horse. Rachel was also not mounted.

Sam glanced at Jake as they rode up and Jake gave her his annoyingly smug grin.

"You can talk to her," Jake muttered under his breath.

"Why me?" Sam asked. "She likes you more than she likes me. You swoop in and rescue her."

Jake gave her a dirty look.

"Why are you here?" Rachel asked the two friends.

Jake looked at Sam who was tempted to either stick out her tongue at him or flip him off. He knew it and his eyes squinted as he gave her his tomcat expression.

"Your father asked us to find you," Sam explained.

"Us?" Jake raised an eyebrow.

"Oh shut up," Sam retorted, earning a snort from Jake.

"It's not polite to carry on a conversation and ignore someone else," Rachel pointed out.

_Pot meet kettle_, Sam thought to herself.

Jake had to turn away or start laughing. Sam knew it and bit her lip to keep herself from laughing.

"Get on the horse so we can get back," Jake told Rachel.

"Don't order me around," Rachel snapped. "I'm not your servant."

Her horse snorted and ran off when Rachel had raised her voice.

"Oh terrific," Rachel put her hands on her hips. "Samantha, get down."

"No," Sam shook her head and backed the horse.

"That is my father's horse and I demand you get down and let me ride it home," Rachel sneered.

"I'm not the one who fell off," Sam reasoned, with a sneer of her own.

"Oh for…," Jake grumbled, guiding the horse he was riding towards Rachel. "Grab on and swing up behind me. I need to get back so I can finish my work."

Rachel swung up behind Jake, her arms wrapping around Jake's waist. Wrapping too tightly around Jake's waist for Sam's liking.

Looking like a supermodel as she rode behind Jake, Sam heard Rachel's laughter ring out. Sam felt a stab of jealousy deep within her as she watched them ride off.

When they got back to Gold Dust, Rachel headed for the big house without even a backward glance or a thank you. Sam dismounted from her horse and with jerky movements, took the tack off of the horse.

Jake was watching her.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"Oh gee, nothing," Sam snapped, turning the horse loose in the pasture and taking her tack into the barn.

Jake shrugged, following her. She shoved past him when she was leaving. Jake watched her go, totally confused as to why she was behaving that way.

Linc was back when Sam came out of the barn.

"So did she convince you to buy her the red Porsche?" Sam asked and she knew she sounded snotty. Dad and Gram would be upset if they heard her.

"You just watch yourself, little lady," Linc almost growled at her.

Sam blanched and took a step back at the menace she saw in his face. It was gone an instant later and Sam glanced over her shoulder to see that Jake had come out of the barn.

Linc opened his wallet and counted out a handful of cash, shoving it towards Jake.

"If you're sure," Jake shrugged and put the cash in his back pocket.

"It's the least I could do," Linc started back towards the house.

"Uh, Linc?" Jake rubbed the back of his neck.

Linc turned around, looking impatiently at Jake.

"You need to drive us back to River Bend," Jake reminded him.

"Oh yeah," Linc flashed his fake toothpaste selling smile. "Go ahead and get in. You too, Samantha."

"Thanks," Sam's voice dripped sarcasm, earning a look from Jake.

Sam looked out the window as Linc drove them back. As upset as she was about the look she saw on Linc's face when he had threatened her, it was the visual of Rachel with her arms wrapped around Jake that disturbed her the most.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"You can go," Dad told Sam the next day.

"Go where?" Sam was confused.

"With Jake and his brothers," Dad said, giving her a look.

"Camping?" Sam yelped, excited.

"No," Dad shook his head. "To Reno. Didn't you want to go?"

Sam had no idea what he was talking about but she'd never admit it.

"Sure, I can't wait," Sam smiled. She was still clueless and planned on calling Jake once Dad left the house and asking where they were going.

"Just make sure you have your own room," Dad warned her.

"Of course," Sam nodded.

Dad gave her a hug and left. Sam looked out the window watching him as he caught Banjo, tying him to the rail outside the barn.

"Your father trusts you," Brynna told her, coming up behind Sam and putting an arm around her waist.

Sam nodded. "I won't betray that trust," Sam promised.

"I know," Brynna gave her a kiss and headed out the door on her way to work.

Sam waited until she was sure they were both gone before she dialed Three Ponies. Maxine answered the phone.

"Hi Mrs. Ely, is Jake there?" Sam asked.

"Hi Samantha, no honey he's out with his brothers today," Maxine told her.

"Any idea where?" Sam wondered.

"I think Luke mentioned the windmill in the far north pasture," Maxine murmured. "I know he said a windmill, but I'm not sure of the location."

"I'll go look," Sam said. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Maxine hung up.

Sam wrote a note to let everyone know where she was and hurried out of the house. She wanted to be gone before Gram came in from grocery shopping and assigned her more chores.

She grabbed her tack and called for Ace. She tacked him up in record time and swung up onto her gelding's back. Sam was over the bridge and heading towards the Three Ponies' north pasture.

She let Ace out to run and smiled into the wind.

Finally, she saw the windmill in the distance and it looked like there were specks on it which would be Ely brothers. Sam pulled Ace down to a trot, sucking in a breath at realizing how high up they were. Oh gosh, there was no way she could ever go up that high. Plus the idiots were teasing and joking with each other, she could hear them from where she was.

"Hey Sammy," Quinn shouted.

"Hey Quinn," Sam waved.

"What brings you out here?" Nate asked as he clung to the windmill.

"Ah Dad mentioned that I could go with you," Sam dismounted and left Ace ground tied.

"Yeah?" Bryan whooped.

"Great!" Quinn yelled.

"Yeah great," Sam looked up at Jake. "Where are we going?"

The Ely boys started to laugh.

"You don't know?" Jake asked.

"No I don't know," Sam put her hands on her hips. "Nobody said a word to me, Jake Ely."

"We're going to Reno," Nate told her.

"Well I know we're not going to get married," Sam said saucily.

"Well…," Quinn looked at Jake with a grin.

"Shut up," Jake mumbled under his breath just loud enough for Quinn to hear.

"Well what?" Sam shouted up. "Where are we going?"

"Kit's in town at a rodeo," Jake told her.

"No kidding?" Sam yelped, excitement on her face. "I get to go with you?"

"Duh Sammy," Quinn teased.

"Oh shut up," Sam sniped at him, sticking out her tongue at him.

"Watch that tongue Sammy," Quinn grinned at her. "We're going to be touching tongues in a year."

"You try it and I'll bite it off," Sam warned him.

Jake snorted and Quinn gave him a quelling look.

"I'll taste her before you do, little man," Quinn said under his breath.

That got Jake's attention and his head shot up, giving Quinn a look. Quinn saw the anger in Jake's eyes and thought for a second he might have teased his little brother once too often about Sam.

On top of the windmill, Jake slugged Quinn.

"Jake!" Nate shouted in warning.

Sam screamed underneath as Quinn slipped. Jake and Bryan grabbed him before he could fall. Quinn brushed off Jake's hand in anger.

"You're lucky I don't show you some manners," Quinn touched his lip, and then looking at his finger. He didn't see any blood.

"Both of you knock it off," Nate told them.

Jake and Quinn backed away from each other.

"You're all insane," Sam yelled at them.

"We're Ely brothers," Bryan laughed. "Of course we are."

The rest of the guys laughed with him. Sam just rolled her eyes. Yes they were certifiably insane, but they were going to have fun in Reno. There was no doubt in her mind.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 **

Sam was riding in the backseat of Quinn's Tahoe between Bryan and Jake. She was looking forward to the rodeo. Luckily, Adam was putting them all up in his house and promised Sam her own bedroom.

Now though she was getting sleepy as she usually did on long trips and kept falling against Jake or Bryan before jerking herself back upright.

"Go ahead and sleep," Jake told her.

"You can sleep on me, Sammy," Bryan said, pulling her gently until she was leaning against him. He grinned at Jake over Sam's head. Jake wasn't amused. Sam was oblivious since she shut her eyes almost immediately.

Jake heard the snorts from Nate and Quinn in the front seat. Gosh, he hated his brothers sometimes. He had hoped to show Sam this weekend that he cared about her and he had hoped she'd realize she felt similar, but he could tell he was going to have his work cut out for him.

There wasn't much he could do about his annoying brothers unless he was willing to kill them all and hide the body parts somewhere. He knew they were going to torment him on this trip.

Jake shrugged at Bryan, hoping to let him know his efforts weren't bothering him, but Bryan's grin told him he knew otherwise. Jake turned to look out the window instead.

"What time is Kit going to be in?" Nate asked. "Anyone know?"

"I believe Adam said we're meeting him at about 3:30," Bryan answered. "That gives us a couple of hours for all of us to have dinner before he has to report to the arena."

"Wouldn't it be cool if he won the event this weekend?" Quinn said from the driver's seat.

The other three nodded in agreement.

Jake glanced over at Sam sleeping so peacefully on Bryan's chest. His eyes rose to see Bryan's knowing grin and he quickly looked out the window again.

"You should have spoken up sooner," Bryan teased.

Jake ignored him and he heard Bryan's snort.

"Wanna drive for awhile, Bry?" Quinn looked at his brother in the rearview mirror. "You can drive and I'll hold Sammy."

"Nah," Bryan shook his head. "I'm fine where I am. Whatever shampoo she uses in her hair smells incredible."

_Don't look_, Jake told himself. _He's just trying to get a rise out of you._

"Yeah?" Nate turned in his seat. He glanced at Jake before looking at Bryan. The two brothers exchanged a grin knowing Jake was upset. "Like what?"

"I'm not up on my flowers," Bryan picked up a lock of Sam's hair and sniffed it.

"Oh for…," Jake grouched, giving Bryan a dirty look.

"What do you think it is, Jakey?" Bryan asked innocently.

"How would I know," Jake grumbled.

"I don't think Jakey's been close enough to her to smell it," Quinn teased.

"She slept against him going to and coming from roundup," Nate pointed out.

"That's true," Quinn nodded. "So what is it, Jake?"

Jake turned to look out the window again. He knew what Sam smelled like and it was incredible, but he wasn't going to discuss it with the annoying brothers his parents had saddled him with. It was at times like this that Jake wished that he might have been an only child.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"Hey Kit," Nate gave his brother a man hug.

Sam hung back, letting the brothers greet each other. She could see Kit giving her confused looks as he greeted his brothers.

Finally, the brothers had all greeted each other and Sam stood there feeling self-conscious.

"You can't be," Kit murmured.

Sam smiled at him.

"My gosh, I feel so old," Kit said, almost to himself.

"You _are_ old," Nate teased.

"Twenty four is not old," Kit gave him a shove. Then he turned back to Sam. "Well come and give big brother a hug, Samantha."

Sam blushed but stepped forward to give Kit a hug. His brothers could see his smile over Sam's shoulder as he held her close.

"I can't believe how grown up you are," Kit put her from him to look at her again.

Sam only blushed deeper. Jake was watching her reaction.

"I can't believe this is the little scrawny kid that sat on my lap," Kit shook his head.

"Now she sits on all of our laps," Quinn grinned.

"Mostly Jake's," Nate commented.

"Oh really," Kit gave Jake a look.

Jake narrowed his eyes at his oldest brother. Kit saw something in Jake's eyes and his wolfish grin spread across his face. He glanced at Adam and the two oldest brothers exchanged a grin.

"Not yet," Adam murmured.

"My gosh, what is he waiting for?" Kit wondered.

Adam shrugged.

"Clueless," Kit shook his head.

"So where are we going for dinner?" Kit asked the rest of them.

They all looked at Adam who lived in Reno and knew it best. He named a steak place nearby and the rest of them nodded and started for the arena door. Sam hung back, but Kit motioned her forward with his hand.

"Come on, Sammy," he told her, then held out his hand. "You come with me."

Sam glanced briefly at Jake before taking Kit's hand. Jake didn't look happy. The other brothers looked amused.

They walked to the restaurant, Kit holding Sam's hand the whole way. Jake trailed behind, glowering at his oldest brother.

When they got to the restaurant, Adam gave the hostess their information and the rest of them sat on benches to wait. Kit pulled Sam onto his lap, encouraging her to straddle his knees. Jake leaned against a wall nearby watching as Sam laughed at something Kit said to her. Jake kept his expression carefully blanked out.

Jake could feel the jealousy. She never looked gooey eyed at him like that. She never laughed, looking into his face that way. She would have fought him had he pulled her onto his lap like that.

He saw Kit's arms around Sam's waist as he held her onto his lap. Did he actually just rest his chin on her back? Jake's hands unconsciously balled into fists.

When the hostess sat them, Jake tried to maneuver himself so he could sit next to Sam but Kit blocked him.

"You sit here between me and Adam, Sammy," Kit told her, pulling out a chair for her.

Jake gritted his teeth and went to sit at the only chair left. It was the furthest away from Sam. He ignored the look that Nate sent his way and instead picked up his menu, holding it up higher than he needed to. He knew he was childishly trying to block out what was going on, but he couldn't help it.

The meal only got worse for Jake. Kit told them stories about his rodeoing and Sam seemed to hang on every word. She giggled at some of the stories and stared at Kit like he was chocolate or something just as enticing.

When the meal was done and they walked back to the arena, Kit still had a hold of Sam's hand. Jake still trailed the group, wishing he was back home. At least if he was home at Three Ponies he wouldn't feel like he was going to throw up as he watched his oldest brother with Sam.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

"Hey, I want you guys to meet my friend Pani," Kit said when they returned to the arena. He led Sam towards a man who was talking to another cowboy nearby. Jake was starting to wonder if Kit had superglued his hand together with Sam's.

"Pani," Kit greeted the other man. "I want to introduce you to my brothers."

"That's the prettiest brother I've ever seen," the man teased as he flirted with Sam.

Sam blushed.

"Oh no, this is Samantha my little sister," Kit told him. "Those ugly mugs are my brothers." He pointed with his free hand at the five men lined up behind him.

"That's Nate, Adam, Jake, Quinn and Bryan," Kit introduced them. Each guy either held up a hand or nodded in acknowledgement.

Pani nodded at each guy, then turned back to Sam. "How did such an ugly guy like Kit get such a good looking sister like you?"

"I'm not really…," Sam began and she blushed and giggled as she broke off.

"You should talk," Kit broke in. "You have a face that even the bulls hate and we all know how notorious bulls are about breeding. They'll breed anything."

Sam blushed again. Jake felt the hand on his arm and looked up at Adam, who shook his head slightly. Jake hadn't realized that he had taken a step forward. He wasn't sure why he had. Sam obviously didn't want or need him for anything.

Quinn met Bryan's eyes and the two exchanged amused glances. They could see the temper brewing in Jake. He wasn't going to be able to take much more teasing.

"Give me a kiss for luck, Sammy," Kit turned to her. Kit brought her to him and bent to kiss her, but Sam turned her head so he kissed her cheek instead of her lips. Quinn snorted.

"She's saving herself for me," Quinn told his oldest brother. "Sweet sixteen and never been kissed, huh Sammy?"

"What about…," Kit looked at Jake who warned him with his eyes. Kit ended up grinning his wolfish grin before looking away.

"What about what?" Bryan asked, looking between Kit and Jake, then at Sam.

"Nothing," Kit shook his head. "Sammy still has a year before she'll be sixteen, Quinn. Maybe she'll kiss someone by then or _someone_ will kiss her."

"Nah, I'm telling you she's waiting for me," Quinn grinned.

"I'm not part of your harem," Sam warned him. "I'm not waiting for you. I just haven't found anyone who wants me to kiss him." Her eyes swept to Jake's briefly, not seeing Quinn and Bryan raise their hands. The others, excluding Jake, snorted.

"Why are your hands raised?" Sam demanded, putting her hands on her hips. "You get enough kisses without mine."

"Maybe we like yours best," Bryan grinned at her.

"Uh huh," Sam gave it back to him.

"Okay, as much as I'm disappointed that Sammy won't kiss me, I need to get going," Kit told them with a grin at Sam's blush. "We'll continue this later, Sam. I've got you all tickets in the family section." He told them how to pick them up.

"Be careful, big brother," Adam told him and the others echoed.

"See you all later," Kit waved and left with Pani.

"We might as well get the tickets and find our seats, huh?" Nate suggested.

The others agreed and started towards the ticket window where Kit had tickets for them.

Jake was frustrated when Bryan put his arm around Sam's shoulders as they walked. She leaned into him briefly. Why was she so affectionate with his brothers but kept him at arm's length? He found himself rubbing the back of his neck.

Adam picked up the tickets and handed them out to his brothers and Sam.

"Oh look," Quinn almost crowed, waving his ticket in the air. "Sammy's got the seat between Bryan and me."

"Keep your hands to yourself," Sam joked as everyone else looked at Jake.

For some reason, Jake looked like he had lost his best friend as he stood there.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

"Just push them out of the way and sit next to her," Adam said softly to Jake.

Jake gave him a look.

"Oh save it," Adam retorted with a laugh. "You aren't fooling anyone except yourself, Jake. We all know how you feel about her. Everyone _except_ Sam knows and that's your own damn fault."

"What am I supposed to do?" Jake grumbled. "Fight Kit for her?"

Adam snorted. "Kit's just trying to make you crazy and it's working perfectly. She's way too young for him."

"Tell Kit that," Jake muttered, ignoring Adam when he chuckled. "Of course, she's encouraging him."

"Jake, she's fifteen and a twenty four year old is showing her some attention," Adam rolled his eyes. "Of course, she's going to encourage him, especially since you're acting like an ass."

"How am I acting like an ass?" Jake wondered.

"If you glower at her one more time she's likely to burst into tears," Adam told him. "Or slug you. That's where this is headed."

Jake just shook his head. He wasn't good with words like his other brothers were. Even with Sam he struggled sometimes. There was no way he could declare himself with everyone else around. He wasn't sure he could do it right now if they were alone. Jake still hoped that Sam would realize it on her own. It certainly would make it easiest for him.

Jake did worry about rejection. He wasn't sure how he'd react if she laughed or didn't return his feelings. He hated the thought that their friendship would wane if he declared his feelings for her and she didn't return them. Right now it was just easier to wait and hope she realized it before he left for college. He wasn't sure what he'd do if he left for college and their relationship was still up in the air.

Now he watched as Quinn sat down next to Sam who was next to Bryan. Jake sat on the aisle. He didn't see Sam glance at him in bewilderment, but Nate did.

Nate was sitting next to Jake and elbowed him gently.

"What's going on with you and Sam?" Nate asked under his breath.

"Ask her or the twins," Jake shrugged.

"She's wondering too," Nate told him.

Jake met his eyes.

"She gave you a look," Nate said. "I'm not sure if it was hurt or what. I think she thinks you're ignoring her."

"Now she knows what it's like," Jake muttered.

"How old are you Jake?" Nate turned away from him. "My gosh, you don't deserve her."

Jake felt stung by his brother's words. He looked down the aisle and saw Sam glancing at him with a mixture of hurt and something he couldn't quite place. Jake had a feeling that his weekend was going to suck. He gave a sigh.

A bit later Quinn said he was going to get something to drink and got up. Bryan went with him. Sam looked at Jake. She sighed when he didn't look at her.

Nate saw the exchange and got up.

"I should have told Quinn to get me a Coke," Nate said, crawling over Jake's legs.

"Wait up, Nate," Adam also stood up. "I could use a hot dog."

"Oh that's subtle," Jake mumbled at both of them.

Nate and Adam just grinned at him.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked Jake.

When Jake didn't answer, Sam got up and came down to sit next to him.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked again.

"Nothin'," Jake told her.

"Oh come on, Jake," Sam scoffed. "You won't even look at me. What did I do?"

Jake looked at her then, but his face was blanked out and his eyes shuttered to her.

"Never mind," Sam started to stand up, but Jake's hand grabbed her arm. She tried to shake him off, but it was his strong roping hand.

"Don't," Jake pleaded.

"Don't what?" Sam asked. "Don't speak to you? Don't look at you? Don't be your friend?"

Jake shook his head. "I've, ah…"

He glanced at her, then looked quickly away.

Sam tried to give him an encouraging look.

"Hey Sammy, whatcha doin' down here?" Quinn asked as the guys returned.

"Talking to Jake," Sam smiled at him. "You don't mind if I sit here for awhile, do you Nate?"

"Nah, you're fine, Sammy," Nate gave her a grin, glancing at Jake who was looking away from everyone. Gosh, he wanted to smack his little brother alongside the head.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

The rodeo started and Sam stayed sitting next to Jake. He filled the seat so completely, their shoulders touched. Of course, Sam's shoulder also touched Nate's who had sat down on the other side of her. She let herself lean against Jake as they watched.

To Jake, she felt wonderful next to him and he could smell whatever fragrance was in her shampoo. Unlike Bryan, he knew it was lavender. He thought she probably used a lavender lotion on her skin also since the lavender smell coming from her was pretty strong. His arm felt warm where she leaned up against him.

"You two want anything?" Adam asked, surprising Jake.

He gave Adam a look and realized his brother was talking about something from the snack bar. Jake heard Adam snort.

"I'll take a soda," Sam started digging in her pocket.

"I've got it," Jake and Adam both said at the same time.

"That's okay," Sam shook her head.

"Don't argue with me, Brat," Jake told her, handing Adam a dollar.

"Yes sir," she sassed him with a grin. "Thank you. I'll buy you one later."

"You planning on going bar hopping tonight, Sammy?" Quinn teased.

"Oh yeah," Sam teased him back. "I can just see someone letting me in a bar at fifteen."

"You can go," Nate said. "You just can't drink alcohol."

"We can dance," Bryan raised his eyebrow.

"Then I'm game," Sam grinned at him. "You know how I like to dance."

"Yeah, I know," Bryan grinned back at her.

"Maybe they'll play our song, Sammy," Quinn laughed.

Sam blushed.

Jake gave him a dirty look which only made Quinn and Bryan grin more.

"Maybe Jake will dance with you," Bryan murmured.

Sam snorted and looked at Jake. He grinned at her and almost missed Quinn saying, "He already is."

Jake pinned Quinn with his eyes, telling him without words he wasn't funny. It didn't faze Quinn one bit if his dancing, mischievous eyes were any indication.

Thankfully Adam came back and handed Sam her soda.

"Thanks Adam," Sam told him taking a sip through the straw.

"Wanna sip?" Sam offered it to Jake. He looked at her, surprised. Then he nodded and took a sip before handing it back to her.

"Thanks," Jake told her.

"You're welcome," Sam smiled at him.

"You're not going to offer me a sip, Sammy?" Quinn teased.

"Nah, you'll give me cooties," Sam told him with a grin. All four of his brothers snorted in amusement and even Quinn started to laugh.

"A year from now we'll see about cooties, Sammy," Quinn reminded her.

"I guess I need to scout out guys here in the audience to kiss, huh?" Sam laughed. "Hey that one there looks promising." Sam pointed at someone who looked about eighty.

"I dare you," Quinn laughed.

"Nah, if I wanted to kiss someone old, I'd kiss Adam," Sam teased.

Adam jumped in his seat in surprise while his brothers laughed.

"See if I bring you back a soda again," Adam laughed.

"That's why I said that _after_ you came back," Sam grinned at him.

"Love ya, Sammy," Adam grinned.

"Love ya back, Adam," Sam responded.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Sam flinched when the calf roping event was running. She felt bad for the little calves that were roped around the neck and then by the back feet. Granted the cowboys and horses involved were very experienced, but Sam still felt bad for the calves.

"They don't hurt them," Jake murmured.

"I know," Sam said, her eyes meeting his dark brown eyes.

They smiled softly at each other.

"I don't like the steer wrestling either," Sam told him. "The way they twist their necks to bring them down."

"I know," Jake nodded. "Frankly, I'm surprised you agreed to come with us."

That surprised Sam.

"Why?"

"Because you're so softhearted," Jake explained.

"As long as I can hide my eyes sometimes I'm fine," Sam rested her head on his shoulder to demonstrate. Then she looked up at him with her head still against his shoulder and Jake had to fight not to kiss her. Her eyes were huge in her face as she looked up at him through her bangs. Jake felt his heart flip in his chest.

"If you need to," Jake almost whispered.

"Thanks," Sam smiled up at him and lifted her head.

She turned to watch what was going on in the arena. Jake tried to remember to breathe. He happened to glance at his brothers, all of whom were grinning at him.

Jake looked away quickly. He heard the four obnoxious snorts. Sam looked down the row at Nate, Adam, Quinn and Bryan wondering what they were so amused about.

Soon it came time for the bronc riding competition which is what Kit competed in. Sam gasped the first time she saw one of the horses bucking in the ring, trying to get the rider off while the rider spurred the horse.

"The spurs are dull," Jake was quick to explain.

Sam gave him a look, then looked at his brothers. Jake snorted while his brothers nodded.

"Have Kit show you his spurs," Adam suggested to her. "They really are dull."

Sam nodded slowly.

"You couldn't take my word for it," Jake teased.

"Of course not," Sam teased back. "You'd have called a doctor if I had."

Jake's mouth twitched. Sam swatted his arm.

Jake was happy. This was more like it. She was interacting with him just as she always did. He felt at peace with her sitting next to him and their teasing each other. His brothers saw it on his face and exchanged glances, small smiles on their faces as they did so.

"Kit's in the chute," Nate pointed.

"Where," Sam tried following his arm.

"Second from the left," Adam told her.

"Oh," Sam gasped as the horse tried to get Kit off in the chute.

Someone grabbed Kit to keep his face from slamming into the hard metal of the chute. Sam grabbed Jake's arm, her nails biting into his skin. He was surprised at how strong her grip was. Then she ducked her head against his shoulder.

"Tell me when they have the horse settled," Sam told him.

"Whoa," she heard someone, was it Quinn, groan under their breath.

"You can look now, Sammy," Nate told her.

Sam slowly lifted her head, looking first at Jake then at Nate, then towards the chutes. Kit was still sitting on the horse. Now he was nodding his head and the chute opened.

The horse exploded out of the chute, immediately leaping high into the air as it tried to get Kit off of its back. Sam grimaced when the horse came back down only to leap up into the air with a roll. She couldn't imagine the force of that horse coming down from such a high jump.

Kit was staying with the horse and the eight seconds needed for a score ticked by so slowly. Finally the buzzer sounded. All six of them stood up and clapped for the eldest Ely brother. The brothers all gave piercing whistles.

Kit leapt off the horse onto the pickup rider, then jumped down onto the arena dirt. He heard his brothers and waved towards them.

"Way to go, Kit!" Quinn yelled as Jake let out another ear splitting whistle.

"I wish I could do that," Sam said.

"What, ride a bronc?" Jake looked down at her in surprise.

"No, whistle like that," Sam told him.

"We tried," Jake reminded her.

"Yeah, I know," Sam sat down when the others did. "You made fun of my whistle."

"Well it was pretty pitiful," Jake laughed.

"Hmmph," Sam grouched.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Kit ended up in second place that night. He was smiling when they met up with him afterwards.

"Hey, good going, Kit," Bryan clapped his oldest brother on the back.

"Thanks Bryan," Kit returned.

The rest of his brothers crowded around him to congratulate him. Sam hung back, giving them all a minute.

Then he grabbed her arm and dragged her to him. Sam squealed in surprise as she hugged him.

"Congratulations," she kissed his cheek.

"We need to celebrate," Quinn announced.

"Oh yeah!" Adam agreed.

"You can just drop me off if you want," Sam told them.

"Heck no, you have to come too, Sammy," Quinn said.

"She's underage," Jake reminded him.

"So are you," Bryan raised an eyebrow.

"There are places that allow minors," Adam responded.

"All four of you are underage," Nate looked at Quinn, Bryan, Jake and Sam.

"We'll go back to Adam's and have our own party then," Quinn grinned.

"No way," Adam laughed. "I'm not turning you loose in my house without supervision."

"Smart move," Quinn laughed with him.

"Come on," Kit grabbed Sam's hand and tugged her along. Sam smiled up into Kit's face as she went with him.

Jake frowned, not understanding why Kit was manipulating all of Sam's attention. He glanced at Nate who shrugged at him.

Jake trailed behind the others, watching his brother and Sam. Sam, the only girl he had ever cared about. Sam, who was smiling up at his older brother as if he had hung the moon just for her. Sam, who Jake decided he didn't understand at all.

He debated on whether or not he should even go with the others. Jake felt like an outsider, even with his family right now.

He couldn't say anything about the time that Kit was spending with Sam. It wasn't like Sam was his girlfriend. Jake had decided to wait for her. She was just fifteen. Maybe someone needed to remind Kit of that fact? Good grief, he was nine years older than she was.

Jake felt the arm slap his back and he looked up, startled out of his reverie.

"Hang in there, Jakey," Nate told him. "After this weekend, he'll be gone again."

"Yeah but will he continue to pursue her?" Jake wondered.

"Get to her before we get in Quinn's SUV," Nate suggested. "Get her on your lap."

"Then what?" Jake asked. "Handcuff her?"

"You might ask the twins if they have a pair," Nate laughed. "It wouldn't surprise me if they did."

Jake couldn't help it, he burst out laughing.

Sam turned and smiled at him as she walked with Kit. Jake had thrown his head back, his teeth white in his dark face, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He looked so cute when he laughed like that. Sam sobered. Then why was she holding Kit's hand?

They reached Quinn's Tahoe. Quinn slid behind the wheel, letting the others decide where they were going to sit.

"Why don't you get in the front, Kit," Nate recommended, earning a grateful look from Jake.

Kit gave Nate a look. Then Kit looked at Jake. Jake looked nonchalant as he got in the backseat. He left the door open. A second later, Sam ducked in to sit on his lap.

Kit got in the front seat, Nate and Bryan got in next to Jake. Adam got in last, barely squeezing in next to Bryan.

"Maybe Bryan should sit on Adam's lap," Sam suggested.

"Funny, Sammy," Adam laughed.

"Well he's practically on your lap now," Sam pointed out. "Why not get on all the way."

"Tell you what," Adam grinned. "You come sit on my lap and Bryan can sit on Jake's."

"Ah, no," Jake shook his head. "We're fine."

He unknowingly tightened his arms around Sam's waist. Nate noticed, smiling to himself.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Once again, Kit grabbed Sam's hand before Jake could move. Sam never looked back as she followed Kit, laughing once again at something he said to her.

At first, the person at the door was reluctant to let Sam in. Then Kit turned on the charm, promising that Sam or anyone else under age wouldn't drink alcohol. He just happened to mention he was with the rodeo and the person at the door waved them all in. Jake frowned.

Quinn and Bryan immediately noticed all the young women in the place. The young women also immediately noticed the six very handsome, dark skinned men who had arrived.

"Target ripe," Quinn said to Bryan.

"Oh yeah," Bryan agreed.

They hadn't even reached a table before the drinks started arriving. Since only Adam and Kit were old enough to drink, they had the drinks lined up in front of them as they sat down.

"You two are going to be drunk in a few minutes," Sam laughed.

"Yeah so?" Kit laughed back at her.

He and Adam clinked glasses and both downed a drink.

The girls realized that the others either weren't or couldn't drive and so the non-alcoholic drinks started to arrive. Jake slid one over in front of Sam.

"Now this was given to you," Sam slid it back.

"And I'm giving it to you," Jake slid it back.

"I don't want your girls to think you don't appreciate them," Sam teased, sliding it back.

"I don't," Jake told her, placing it back in front of Sam. "Drink it."

"Jake, you're no fun," Bryan laughed.

"Sure I am," Jake shrugged, watching as Sam sipped the drink he had given her. She made a face. "What's wrong?"

Sam handed him the drink. "Taste it, I think it has alcohol in it."

"I'll taste it," Kit volunteered. Sam handed it to him and he took a sip. "Oh yeah, it has alcohol. I'll keep it, Sammy."

"This is just a soda," Quinn handed Sam a drink.

Sam gave him a look.

"You think I'd lie to you?" Quinn laughed.

"If it suited you, yes," Sam laughed back at him.

"Well okay, yeah I would," Quinn grinned as he laughed at her. "Come on Sammy, let's dance." He stood up and pulled her up out of her chair. The two of them clasped hands and headed for the dance floor. Sam's hips were moving as they walked together.

Once they reached the dance floor, the two of them started swirling their hips as they faced each other. Quinn brought her closer to him and it looked to those sitting at the table that Sam was straddling his leg.

"Wow," Kit said as he watched.

There was no doubt that Sam was straddling Quinn's leg as they moved together. Quinn had a hand on her shoulder. Sam's arms lifted over her head as she danced, her eyes on Quinn's.

"They're really good," Kit commented.

"Sam's a good dancer," Bryan responded. "We had fun at the dance I took her to."

"_You_ took her to a dance?" Kit asked Bryan, then he looked at Jake.

"Yep," Bryan grinned. "Jake had a broken leg."

"Not that I would have gone anyway," Jake said.

"Which is why…," Kit shook his head, looking at Adam.

"Why what?" Jake challenged.

"She's dancing like that with Quinn," Kit answered though Adam knew that's not what Kit meant.__

Sam turned her back on Quinn and bumped up next to him. Quinn's hands wrapped around her waist, bringing her against him.

Kit looked at Adam with a grin. Adam grinned back at him. Jake was frowning. Quinn's and Sam's hips were perfectly synchronized. Sam turned again in his arms, dipping down his body, before rising up again.

"Whoa, that girl is hot," Kit blurted out. "Give her a few years and look out!"

"Yeah, can you believe how grown up Sammy's getting?" Nate said.

"Four more years," Adam reminded him.

Kit grinned at Adam.

"Four more years, what?" Jake wondered.

"You'll see in four years," Adam told his little brother.

Jake gave him a dirty look which didn't bother Adam a bit.

"Too bad I don't dance like that, otherwise I'd be cutting in on Quinn," Kit said as they continued to watch the two out on the dance floor.

The song ended and blended into the next one. It was one that Sam had danced to at the dance with Bryan.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

"My turn," Bryan got up and cut in on Quinn. Quinn laughed and just started dancing with a girl who had joined him.

Sam moved in on Bryan, her hands playing in her hair as she twisted her hips to the beat of the bass. Bryan moved perfectly with her, smiling down at her.__

You in VIP and she's scheming up a plot  
You pushing up them bottles and she pushin up her top 

Sam pretended she was going to push up her top, causing Bryan to laugh and the guys at the table to sit up straighter in their seats as they watched.

_She gives you little stares as you rubbin thru her hair then  
She shake her derriere _

Sam turned her back and shook her butt in Bryan's direction. Bryan put one of his hands on her hip and the other on her butt as she did. Sam burst out laughing as she looked at him over her shoulder.

"Sammy's quite the little tease," Kit remarked, with a grin.

Bryan brought her up against him, his hands across her belly as the two of them moved together.

"Good grief," Adam's jaw dropped.

"There's no way she realizes what Bryan's doing," Nate shook his head.

Kit, Adam and Nate looked at Jake who was staring at Sam with Bryan. Sam might not realize what Bryan was doing, but Jake sure as heck did.

_You feeling on your shirt pockets like you've been shot but  
You really been got  
Let's rock_

She's got the passion  
That girl is dangerous  
Better be careful  
That girl is dangerous  
Beautiful hard way  
That girl is dangerous  
She's dangerous, dangerous

Sam came back towards the table when the song ended, begging off from Bryan, claiming to need a drink. It wasn't long before Bryan had another partner.

"Whew," Sam slid into her seat.

"You're quite the dancer, Sammy," Kit told her.

Sam shrugged, taking a sip of her drink.

"Where'd you learn to dance like that?" Adam asked.

"San Francisco," Sam shrugged again. "My friend Pam and I used to watch a dance show and then copy the moves."

"Did the show involve a pole?" Jake almost sneered.

"Jake!" Nate chastised him but Sam had already turned on him. She slugged him in the shoulder as hard as she could.

"How dare you," Sam sneered right back at him.

"That's what it looked like," Jake said.

Sam bounced out of her chair and slapped his face.

"Come on, Sammy," Nate grabbed her arm, dragging her back out towards the dance floor. She resisted, wanting nothing more than to smack Jake again. Nate tugged her arm and finally Sam went willingly with him.

"Way to alienate her, little man," Kit told his brother.

"You should thank me," Jake retorted.

"How's that?" Kit's voice was tense.

"Now she hates my guts and you can move in on her without interference," Jake snapped.

Kit leaped out of his chair so fast it fell over. Jake was up, knocking over his chair. Adam jumped between them.

"Knock it off, Jake," Adam warned him.

Quinn and Bryan were there suddenly.

"What's going on?" Bryan asked.

"Ask Jake," Kit was still staring at his little brother, daring him to hit him.

"What did you say to Sammy?" Quinn asked Jake.

"It doesn't matter," Jake's eye never left Kit's.

"I'd say it does matter since she's out there crying on Nate," Bryan's harsh voice reached Jake.

He pried his eyes away from Kit's and glanced out to where Nate stood his arms around Sam as she, quite obviously, cried.

"Let's get out of here before we get kicked out," Adam suggested, putting a hand on Jake's arm. Jake angrily jerked his arm out of Adam's grasp.

Kit headed for the door, Quinn behind him. Adam motioned for Jake who followed Quinn. Adam and Bryan followed Jake. Nate brought Sam with him, her hand tucked in his.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Sam sat on Adam's lap in the backseat on the trip to his house. She refused to even look at Jake.

She was seething and she still wanted nothing more than to slap him. Her palm itched to do so.

Jake could feel the tension in Quinn's Tahoe as they drove to Adam's. He had been jealous, there was no doubt of it and it caused him to lash out at Samantha. He felt bad and wanted to fix it.

When they arrived at Adam's Sam took Bryan's hand as he got out and helped her to get out of the backseat. She never looked back as she got out and waited for Adam.

"Which room is mine?" Sam asked as soon as they were in the house.

"Back on the left, Sammy," Adam told her. Sam grabbed her bag that she had put down just inside the door when they had first arrived and headed towards the bedroom that Adam had indicated.

"Sam," Jake called after her, taking a step down the hallway.

Sam ignored him, slamming the door to the room she would sleep in behind her.

"Way to go, Jakey," Quinn shook his head at his little brother. "What the heck did you say?"

"Genius here accused her of dancing on a pole," Kit almost growled.

Jake's head came up to look at his oldest brother.

"Oh you didn't," Bryan groaned. "Are you stupid? Don't answer, you obviously are."

"Don't think I didn't know what you were doing out there either," Jake said to Bryan.

"So what?" Bryan laughed. "It's called dancing Jakey. Sometimes it's suggestive."

"She's fifteen," Jake reminded him.

The bedroom door swung open, surprising all of them. Sam appeared in the shorts and tank top she slept in. She stormed down the hallway to stand in front of Jake.

"Yes, I am fifteen," Sam yelled up at him. "You're not my father, Jake Ely. You forget that sometimes and I'm sick of it. You're not my friend right now either. You were out of line and, and, oh!" She slugged his shoulder again.

Jake took it from her.

"How dare you," Sam screamed out her frustration before turning and going back the way she came, going into the bathroom across the hall and slamming that door shut.

"Dang, she's hot," Kit muttered.

Jake launched himself at his older brother who welcomed it. The other four got between them quickly, breaking it up.

"Both of you knock it off," Adam warned them.

"Come on guys," Nate tried to smooth things over.

"It's not my fault Jake can't figure out his feelings for her," Kit grumbled.

"I don't have to figure out my feelings for her," Jake muttered right back at him.

Sam came out of the bathroom, giving them all a look so heated that it would melt stone and then slammed the bedroom door shut again.

All six guys couldn't help it, they snorted in amusement.

"My gosh, she's fiery," Adam chuckled. "I envy you Jakey when you two finally quite dancing around each other and just get together."

"If," Kit said.

"When," Jake countered.

"That sure, are you?" Kit challenged.

"Yeah, I am," Jake dared him to contradict him.

"I hope for your sake you're right, little brother," Kit clapped him on the shoulder. "Otherwise, you're going to be miserable when someone really claims her for their own."

"Do it soon, Jakey," Adam advised.

"I'm trying," Jake grumbled.

"If that's trying, I'd like to see what alienating her is," Kit laughed. "Jakey, you have a lot to learn about women."

Jake looked down towards the closed bedroom door and wondered how he could fix this. He knew it would involve groveling and groveling wasn't his strongest attribute.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Jake was laying awake on one of the couches that night. He had his hands behind his head as he lay there thinking about Sam. He had blown it big time and he knew it. Jake didn't need all five of his brothers calling him all kinds of idiot to know he had messed up.

He saw Sam dancing at the club in his mind and knew he had been turned on by it and that's where the trouble had started. Jake didn't want any of his brothers to realize how beautiful she had become and want her for themselves. So he had acted like an idiot out of frustration.

Jake sighed, turning over onto his side. He gave up on sleeping and reached down to slip on the pair of sweats he brought with him, pulling them on. Normally he wouldn't bother, but with Sam in the house he didn't want to walk around Adam's house naked.

He went into the kitchen and looked into the refrigerator. There was a bottle of beer and he took it out.

"Aren't you a bit young for that?" Sam's voice startled him.

Jake looked up at her and groaned to himself. Her hair was disheveled as she stood there in the little pair of shorts and top, making her look very enticing to him. Instead of commenting on what she had said to him, he simply shrugged, shutting the door and blanketing them in darkness.

Sam heard him open the beer. Once he shut the door to the refrigerator she couldn't see him again. She suspected he could still see her in the dark.

"I'm sorry," Jake almost whispered.

He heard her sigh.

"What you said was very hurtful to me," Sam did whisper. She knew the apology was costing Jake a lot and didn't want his brothers in the living room to hear them.

"I know and I didn't mean it," Jake responded.

"Oh I think you did," Sam told him. "What I don't understand is why."

"I didn't," Jake insisted. "I'm an idiot sometimes."

"Yeah, you are," Sam wasn't giving him an inch right now. She elbowed past him to jerk open the refrigerator door, bathing them in light again.

Jake stepped back out of her way and took a sip of the beer.

"Since when did you start drinking beer?" Sam asked, pulling out a can of soda.

"About two years ago," Jake answered. "Just around the house."

"Well I would hope so since it's illegal for you to do so," Sam retorted, shutting the door, casting them into the darkness again.

She pulled open the can of soda with a pop.

"Will you forgive me?" Jake asked.

"Of course I will," Sam snapped. "Though I don't know why you're acting the way you are. The way you've been acting all day."

_Don't you really_, he wanted to ask but didn't.

She heard him take another sip of the beer. Then it dawned on her what he had said. Two years ago. After her accident.

"Oh Jake," Sam groaned. "My getting injured hurt you so badly."

Jake didn't deny it, taking another drink of the beer instead. He heard her put the can down and was surprised when he felt her arms around him. He felt her breasts crushed up against his chest and he groaned to himself. She smelled and felt incredible. My gosh, didn't she know what he was doing to him?

Sam felt the strength of him against her. He smelled like horses, the outdoors and something she couldn't pinpoint. She just knew it was incredible and she wanted to nuzzle into his neck.

Jake's head bent to hers and their lips met. Both drew back as if something was wrong, before they kissed again, their lips melding together perfectly.

Suddenly, she pulled away.

"I can't, you're my best friend," she gasped. "I can't lose you as my friend."

"Sam," Jake's voice was a groan.

As he bent his head to kiss her again, she was gone just like that.

He heard her steps as she went back towards her room and then heard the door shut behind her.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

The next morning was better for Jake. Sam at least acknowledged him. He wasn't so sure she had completely forgiven him for acting the way he had, but she had actually said 'good morning' to him, surprising his brothers. Neither mentioned the kiss between them.

"How'd you sleep, Sammy?" Adam asked, pointing at the coffee in the coffee maker.

"Okay, thanks," Sam hugged him, giving his cheek a kiss.

"If you're handing them out, Sammy," Quinn opened his arms.

Sam laughed, hugging and kissing him. She moved to do the same to the rest of them, even hugging Jake though she didn't kiss him. Her hug of him surprised Jake's brothers.

"Is somebody taking me out for breakfast?" Sam asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee and then adding cream and sugar to her cup.

"I will since I have the vehicle," Quinn grinned at her.

"Good, I'm starved," Sam responded. Then she turned to Kit. "Oh I remember what I wanted to ask you. Can I see your spurs?"

Her question surprised him. Kit looked at his brothers in confusion.

"She worries about the spurring during the ride," Jake explained.

"Oh I get it," Kit nodded. "Let me get one for you." He went down the hallway to the room he had slept in the night before.

"You two speaking again?" Nate looked from Jake to Sam.

Jake looked at Sam who nodded. "He apologized last night and though I wanted nothing more than to slug him again, I accepted it." She shrugged. Five Elys snorted.

Kit came back, one of his spurs in his hand. He gave it to Sam who ran her thumb over the rowel. Just as Jake had told her, it was very dull. No way it would actually hurt a horse.

"Thanks," Sam handed it back to Kit.

"Not a problem, Sammy," Kit assured her, putting the spur on the counter.

"Are you ready to eat?" Quinn asked them all.

Sam took a couple of gulps of her coffee before rinsing out the cup and putting it in the dishwasher. The others did the same.

Quinn put his arm around Sam as he led the way.

"Ah, if you don't mind, I'll drive my truck," Adam laughed. "It was a bit crowded in that Tahoe last night with all of us in there."

"It prolly wouldn't be if you weren't all built like trees," Sam teased.

Adam laughed, giving her a slight shove.

"We should play football while we're here," Kit suggested.

Adam looked at his oldest brother in surprise and started to laugh. Kit laughed with him causing the others to look at each other and wonder what was so funny.

"Wanna come with us, Sammy?" Kit asked when they reached the vehicles out front.

"Sure," Sam smiled at him. She glanced at the others, mainly Jake, but didn't hesitate getting in the backseat of Adam's truck.

"Does that upset you?" Nate asked Jake as they got in Quinn's Tahoe.

"I can't stop her," Jake shrugged from the backseat. "Even if I was married to her, I couldn't stop her."

"You're learning, Jakey," Quinn teased from the driver's seat. The other three snorted.

"I'm slow, but I'm not completely stupid," Jake laughed.

"I'm glad the two of you are speaking at least," Bryan said.

Jake didn't say anything. He was glad too though he was still upset that Kit was monopolizing most of Sam's time. He tried to remember what Nate had told him. After this weekend, Kit would be back on the road and he'd have Sam to himself again. Hopefully he could convince her they could still be friends and something more at the same time.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

The second night at the rodeo featured barrel racing which Sam decided she loved. She knew it existed, but hadn't seen it in person before. The guys watched her face as she smiled widely as the women rode their horses around the barrels.

She was sitting next to Jake again and she clutched his arm a few times as she watched.

"That looks like a blast," Sam gushed.

Jake couldn't help the shiver. Good grief, that would be all he needed, Sam galloping a horse at breakneck speed like the women were doing tonight. He didn't think he would survive the stress though he admired the women doing it.

"Borrow Witch and try it," Quinn suggested, earning a stunned look from Jake. Sam turned to look at Quinn and Jake was shaking his head violently behind her. His brothers snorted.

Sam turned back to Jake who stopped shaking his head to look out over the arena. His brothers snorted again.

"What did you do?" Sam asked.

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked innocently.

Sam looked back at Jake's brothers who were watching the two of them, grins on their faces.

"I'm missing something," Sam complained.

"The winning barrel race," Nate pointed as the woman and horse crossed the finish line.

Sam rolled her eyes, but sat back in her seat. Jake gave a sigh of relief. He would kill Quinn if Sam asked if she could use Witch to run barrels.

When the bronc riding started, Sam's leg was bouncing nervously against Jake's.

They watched as Kit's friend Pani rode his horse and his high score earned him first place.

"When does Kit ride?" Sam asked Jake.

"Soon," Jake answered, looking in the chutes for a glimpse of his oldest brother. He didn't see him.

A few more riders came out of the chute, but they either weren't able to ride their horses, or if they did they didn't get a very high score.

"There he is," Nate pointed.

They all looked towards the chutes to see Kit standing behind them. It looked like he was talking to Pani.

Sam's leg kept bouncing. Finally Jake put his hand on her knee to stop it.

"Sorry," Sam moved her leg away from his. For a few minutes she kept her leg still, but then it started bouncing again. Jake snorted.

"I can't help it," Sam swatted him.

"Why are you so nervous?" Jake asked.

"I don't want him to get hurt," Sam responded as if it were obvious.

Jake sat up straight in his seat. Had Sam fallen for Kit? He felt a bolt of jealousy so strong it almost choked him.

"I'll be right back," Jake jumped out of his seat and hurried down the stairs and disappeared.

"Boy, did Jakey have to go or what?" Quinn quipped.

Sam was looking to where Jake had disappeared wondering what was going on with him.

When it was just about time for Kit to ride and Jake still hadn't returned, Sam shrugged but still wondered what had happened to Jake.

Kit was sitting on his bronc in the chute. Jake was still gone. He was going to miss his brother's ride.

The gate opened and Sam put her hands over her mouth as the bronc did a belly roll then came down only to jump back up into another belly roll. Somehow Kit hung on.

His four brothers and Sam were watching and counting out loud as the clock ran in the background. When it reached eight, the five of them stood up screaming and shouting in support of the oldest Ely brother.

Kit raised both hands when he had come down from the pickup horse and acknowledged the cheers from the crowd. He turned in their direction and the five of them screamed and shouted even louder. Kit's wolfish grin spread across his face as he left the arena in first place.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Sam launched herself at Kit, wanting to give him a hug. He caught her up and kissed her cheek as he spun her around.

"That was great!" Sam gushed as she hugged him.

"Thanks Sammy," Kit smiled at her before putting her down.

Jake had come back just after Kit's ride and hadn't said much to anyone. Now he watched his oldest brother with Sam, his eyes narrowing, his attitude sullen.

Nate, Adam, Quinn and Bryan all crowded around Kit, congratulating him on a great ride. Kit's friend Pani was there and they congratulated him on his great ride also.

Just Jake hung back.

"Congratulations," he murmured when Kit looked at him.

Kit detected more in Jake's tone and narrowed his eyes at his little brother. Something more than just the congratulations for the ride was meant in what he had said. Kit wasn't sure what.

"Thanks little man," Kit said and saw the momentary flair of anger in Jake's eyes before he blanked everything out.

"So where are we going tonight?" Bryan wanted to know.

"We can go to the same place," Adam suggested. "They have food there too."

"Let's go," Kit agreed. "Sammy, why don't you ride with us."

He gave Jake a smug look. Jake refused to react.

"Okay," Sam was fed up with Jake's attitude. At least Kit treated her like he enjoyed her company. She followed him, Pani and Adam to Adam's truck and got in the back with Kit without another look towards Jake.

"What did you do now, Jakey?" Nate asked his little brother.

"Not a darn thing," Jake growled, stalking towards Quinn's Tahoe.

Nate, Quinn and Bryan met each others' eyes, not so sure. They followed Jake and got in the Tahoe.

"You seem a bit upset," Bryan observed from the backseat that he shared with Jake.

"Now what do I have to be upset about, Bry?" Jake snapped. "Maybe the fact that my oldest brother is making a play for Sam?"

"What?" Nate yelped. "I don't think he is, Jake."

"Then you aren't paying attention, Nate," Jake told him. "He's all over her."

"At least someone is," Quinn muttered, but Jake heard him and gave him a dirty look.

"She's fifteen," Jake reminded them for perhaps the hundredth time.

"Fifteen is not that young, Jakey," Nate pointed out. "Yeah, you shouldn't have sex with her, but you can date her and let her know you're interested."

Quinn and Bryan nodded.

"I tried to kiss her last night," Jake sighed.

The other three glanced at each other. Jake's sigh didn't give them a lot of confidence that she was receptive.

"And?" Bryan asked.

"And she told me she didn't want to lose me as a friend," Jake told him.

"Ouch," Quinn murmured. "The old _friend_ excuse. Sorry Jakey."

"Yeah," Jake responded.

"Don't give up," Nate advised him. "Be her friend. Be her very best friend and hopefully she'll come around."

Jake glanced at Nate and Nate could see how much this was eating up his little brother. Jake felt that he had lost any chance with Sam and was ready to give up.

"Don't quit now, Jake," Bryan said. "You've got another year before you leave. You still have time."

Jake flicked his eyes to Bryan's. Bryan was looking at him encouragingly. Jake sighed then nodded. He vowed to give it until he left for college.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Sam sat between Jake and Bryan on the way home from Reno. She was exhausted. Kit had ended up winning the competition with his friend Pani coming in second.

After eating, they had returned to the arena where they divided up into teams for a quick game of football. Kit and Pani had charmed the security guards to let them back in, promising not to tell anyone that they had. Sam volunteered to hike the ball for the teams. There was no way she wanted to be tackled on the hard dirt of the arena, but if she didn't play the teams would have been uneven.

Kit, Pani, Nate and Sam were on one team. Adam, Quinn, Bryan and Jake were on the other.

The first time that Sam had bent over to hike the ball to Kit, he started to laugh and his eyes met Adam's. Adam started out grinning and gave up and just laughed also. Jake glowered, knowing exactly what Kit was doing.

"Yeah, yeah," Quinn teased. "If you've seen one, now hike the ball."

"You guys might be used to it, but I want to savor it," Kit laughed.

Sam stood up, looking around, not getting what was so amusing.

"Not fair," Adam told him, laughing.

"Oh it's very fair," Kit disagreed.

"Can you just quit and play the darn game?" Jake grouched.

Kit had given him an infuriating grin and told Sam to bend over again. Jake groaned when Sam did so and Kit stared at her butt for a good minute before finally calling for the ball to be hiked.

Jake enjoyed tackling his oldest brother whenever the opportunity had presented itself. Kit would just laugh it off, knowing exactly how crazy he was making Jake.

After the game, they had gone to the club and stayed out to almost two o'clock in the morning, despite the fact that Pani and Kit still needed to ride again on Sunday. Sam had been asleep on her feet, barely saying good night to everyone before stumbling to the room she was using at Adam's house. She never bothered to change, just fell upon the bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow. It wasn't until she got up for the day that she realized what had happened.

She quickly hurried into the bathroom to shower and then changed before coming into the living room where the rest of the guys were sitting around and trying to wake up. Even coffee hadn't seemed to help them.

Kit rode another brilliant ride that night to win the event. His brothers, even Jake, had congratulated him before they headed out to Quinn's Tahoe and towards home. Sam had hugged Kit then followed the others.

"Just sleep," Jake urged her.

"I feel like a zombie," Sam admitted, putting her head back and shutting her eyes.

"Sammy's not used to being out late at night," Quinn teased.

"Duh," Sam retorted, causing the four guys to snort. "I'm fifteen. Can you imagine what my dad would say if I regularly came home at two in the morning?"

"He wouldn't say much, just lock you in," Jake said.

"I'd never be allowed out of my room," Sam started to nod off, then jerked herself awake again.

"Just sleep," Jake said again.

"I can stay awa…," Sam slumped against him as she fell asleep.

"You can push her over if you want," Bryan said, knowing Jake and Sam had a bad weekend together.

"Nah, she's okay," Jake murmured, lifting his arm so she ended up with her head on his chest.

"Sneaky," Bryan teased.

Jake chuckled. Quinn looked at what was going on in the rearview mirror and Nate turned around to look. Both brothers grinned at Jake.

"I think she was just infatuated that Kit gave her some attention," Nate said.

"I hope so," Jake murmured, looking down at the auburn head. He could smell the lavender scent of her. He felt himself relax. He didn't realize that he dozed off, Sam in his arms.

Bryan poked Nate's shoulder. Nate looked around at Bryan and he pointed towards the two sleeping. Nate grinned and poked Quinn lightly and nodded towards Jake and Sam. Quinn looked in the rearview mirror and he too grinned.

"The two of them just can't let go enough," Quinn said quietly.

"I think they will eventually," Nate responded.

"I think so too," Bryan agreed. "Maybe we just need to knock them both out for the next few years."

The three brothers snorted in amusement.

"They can't argue if they're asleep," Quinn chuckled.

"They don't realize that if nothing was there they wouldn't be arguing," Nate said.

"Wish I had a camera," Bryan said.

"I've got one in my phone," Nate dug out his phone and took a picture of the two sleeping.

"Next time one of them claims to hate the other, we can show them that," Quinn laughed.

The other two laughed with him.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

The summer passed quickly after that without Sam and Jake resolving anything. They continued to hang out, but both felt as if their friendship had changed some.

Neither did they get a chance to go to the lake for the day. Wyatt worked Sam hard around the ranch, wanting to get everything done before she started school again.

Sam was out in the barn when Jake rode in a week before they were due to start school. He was there to finish the last horse to be trained. Wyatt wanted to get the gelding sold by next week.

Sam saw the big black mare tied in the shade of the barn when she came out after cleaning the stalls. She walked towards the round pen, peering through the rails to see Jake on top of the bay roan gelding. She tilted her head at him. Something was different.

She watched him for awhile, trying to pinpoint what it was.

Jake knew she was there and he saw her studying him intently. He grinned to himself wondering how long it would take her to figure out. He heard her gasp.

"Got something to say?" Jake pulled up the gelding near her and looked down at her.

"You cut your hair," Sam told him.

"Yeah," Jake nodded.

"Did your mom make you?" Sam wondered.

"Nah, though she did suggest it," Jake responded.

"Why?"

"'Cause we're going to visit some colleges to ask about scholarships," Jake shrugged.

"Turn around," Sam said, motioning with her finger.

Jake turned the horse in a circle.

"So does it meet your approval?" he teased.

"It's not all that short," Sam remarked. "I mean it still touches your collar. You didn't spike it like Quinn does. Did you?" She looked at his black hat, wondering what his hair looked like under it.

"No I didn't spike it," Jake chuckled.

She just continued to stare at his hat so with a longsuffering sigh he removed it so she could see. Of course, his hair was mashed down from the hat so she really couldn't see much detail.

"I can't see anything," Sam complained.

Jake shrugged and put his hat back on his head.

"When are you leaving?" Sam wondered.

"Tomorrow," Jake told her. The gelding shifted under him. "Let me finish up with him."

"Okay," Sam nodded.

"Maybe I'll take you to Clara's for an ice cream?" Jake raised an eyebrow at her.

"Last of the season?" Sam smiled. "Sure, I'll even buy."

"You got a deal, Brat," Jake smiled back at her. "Give me an hour or so."

"Okay," Sam backed away from the pen and started towards the house.

Jake watched her go, a soft smile on his face. She had responded exactly as he had hoped by agreeing to go with him. His smile grew as he worked the gelding. The horse responded to his good mood, working perfectly for him.

Sam came back out after an hour. She had changed into a pair of capri pants and a tank top. Jake had just finished up with the gelding and glanced at her as she crossed the ranch yard coming towards him. Jake did a double take. My gosh, she had women's curves. He almost dropped the saddle in shock.

"What's wrong?" Sam saw the way his eyes moved up and down. She looked down at her outfit. "Do I have a stain or something?"

"No," Jake shook his head, turning away from her. He didn't want her seeing the lust in his eyes. He knew it was there. He couldn't help it. Good grief, he was lusting after his best friend!

"I just thought of something," Sam followed him into the barn.

"What's that?" Jake asked, storing the tack in the tack room.

"You didn't drive here," Sam pointed out.

"Wyatt's truck is here," Jake shrugged.

"He won't mind?" Sam asked.

"Nah, as long as I don't crash it," Jake chuckled. "I've borrowed it before."

"Oh."

"I'll let your Gram know I am," Jake said.

"Okay," Sam smiled. "I'm looking forward to that ice cream with it being so hot today."

Jake took off his black Stetson and rubbed his brow with his arm. It was getting hotter by the minute with her dressed the way she was.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

"Let's go," Jake put his hat back on his head, leading her back towards the house.

"Gram, Jake and I are going to Clara's," Sam shouted.

"Can you bring me some bulbs from Phil's?" Gram came in from one of the back bedrooms.

Sam looked at Jake who nodded.

"Sure," he told her.

"I'll write down what I need," Gram started looking for a piece of paper and a pencil in the small office she used off the kitchen.

When she was done, she handed the list to Sam.

"Two of each should be enough," Gram told them, glancing from Sam to Jake.

"Isn't planting season over?" Sam asked.

"Lands Samantha," Gram exclaimed. "You plant some bulbs in the fall so they'll come up in the spring."

"Well I didn't know," Sam defended herself.

"Everyone knows that," Gram scoffed, leaving them again.

"Did you know that?" Sam asked Jake.

Jake took her arm and led her outside. He looked over his shoulder.

"No," Jake admitted then laughed when Sam hit him.

"You could have backed me up in there," Sam told him.

"Then we both would have looked stupid," Jake grinned his tomcat grin and then ran from her when she tried to swat him.

Sam chased after him, laughing as he ran backwards giving her the raspberries. It felt like they were kids again as she chased him around the yard. He kept just out of her reach and he could hear her frustration.

"Samantha Anne, the language," Jake teased.

"Oh you fibber, Jacob, Jacob," Sam stopped chasing him. "What is your middle name, anyway?"

"Like I'd tell you," Jake chuckled. "Get in the truck."

"Excuse me?" Sam put her hands on her hips.

"You heard me," Jake grinned as he got in.

"You are insufferable," Sam told him as she got in the front seat.

"So you've told me," Jake's eyes squinted as his tomcat grin grew.

Sam could only laugh at him. "I will find out your middle name."

"Nope," Jake shook his head as he turned on the truck, made sure she was buckled up and then drove out of the yard.

"I'll ask your brothers," Sam insisted.

"Go ahead," Jake told her. "I'll tell them not to."

"Oh really?" Sam took out her cell phone and started dialing.

"Who are you calling?" Jake yelped, trying to grab her phone.

Sam managed to keep it out of his reach.

"Hey Quinn, what's Jake's middle name?" Sam stuck out her tongue at him.

"Don't do it, Quinn," Jake yelled in warning.

"What are you two doing?" Quinn wondered.

"We're driving to Clara's," Sam answered.

"_We_ are?" Jake laughed.

"Well okay," Sam sighed. "Jake's driving and I'm helping."

Jake and Quinn both snorted.

"Put the phone up to Jake's ear," Quinn told her.

Sam did as he asked.

"What's in it for me, Jakey?" Quinn asked his brother.

"You'd do that to me?" Jake squawked.

"You bet your butt I would," Quinn laughed.

"I'll do your chores tomorrow," Jake promised.

"You're leaving," Quinn reminded him.

"I'll do them before I leave," Jake told him.

Sam pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Times up," Sam said. She put the phone to her ear. "What is it?"

"Douglas," Quinn responded and hung up.

"Jacob Douglas?" Sam yelped, shutting her phone.

"Is that what he told you?" Jake laughed.

"It's not?" Sam asked.

"Nope," Jake shook his head and then laughed at her small scream of frustration.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

"This is good, huh?" Sam licked her chocolate cone.

"Yeah, thanks Brat," Jake gave her a smile.

"You're very welcome," Sam pretended to be formal. "So what schools are you visiting?"

"We're going to most of them here and one in Northern California," Jake told her.

"Where do you hope to go?" Sam asked.

"I'd like to go to Great Basin College in Elko," Jake informed her. "That's my first choice."

"Why?"

"They have the best agricultural courses for me," Jake shrugged.

Sam quickly licked her cone to keep the chocolate from dripping onto her hand.

"How far away is Elko?" Sam wondered.

"Five hours, give or take," Jake said. "Why?"

"I won't see you much once you leave for college will I?" Sam looked sad.

Jake was hopeful that she would miss him.

"Prolly not much," Jake was honest. _Give me a reason, Brat!_

"What am I going to do without you?" Sam whispered.

"Graduate from high school," Jake teased.

"It sucks that you're older than me," Sam told him.

"Why's that?"

"First you went to elementary school without me," Sam reminded him. Jake smiled as he did remember. "Then you left me behind with Daisy and went to middle school."

Jake laughed heartily and Sam couldn't help the smile. She loved it when he laughed like this.

"I'm still leaving you behind with Daisy," Jake said.

Sam hit him. "Gee thanks for that Jake."

"Darrell will be there to protect you from her if you need it," Jake informed her.

"I bet he hates it that he had to be left back a year, huh?"

"Wouldn't you?" Jake asked her.

"Yeah I would," Sam acknowledged. "Is he planning on going to college?"

"I don't think so," Jake shook his head, finishing his cone. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. "His father owns a car dealership and he wants Darrell to join the family business."

"You'll be joining the family business and you're going to college," Sam gave him a grin before popping the last of her cone into her mouth.

"True," Jake nodded. "What about you? Have you given much thought to after graduation?"

"You're assuming I'm going to graduate," Sam laughed.

"Except for math, you're a good student," Jake pointed out.

"Math," Sam sighed. "I hate math. Math hates me too."

Jake snorted and Sam giggled. "You know it's true."

"I don't know that, but you and math don't always get along," Jake teased.

"Kinda like us, huh?" Sam looked over at him, surprising Jake.

"What do you mean?" Jake wondered.

"Oh come on, Jake," Sam said. "Even you have to have noticed we're arguing a lot lately."

Jake shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I don't want to lose you as my friend," Sam whispered, looking up at him through her bangs.

He could tell she was serious about this and worried about it.

"You won't," Jake assured her.

"You can't say that for certain, Jake," Sam huffed.

Jake looked around the diner. Clara and the other waitress were looking at them.

"Let's go outside," Jake suggested.

Sam nodded and the two of them went out into the Nevada sunshine and sat at the bench in front of the diner.

"I can say it for certain, Brat," Jake continued once they had sat down.

"How?"

"My gosh, Samantha," Jake rolled his eyes. "We've been friends for how long? Eleven years?"

Sam nodded. He saw her wipe her eyes quickly.

"What makes you think we won't be for at least another eleven?" Jake asked.

She shook her head.

"You drive me crazy, but you're my friend," Jake teased, trying to keep her from crying any more.

Sam chuckled through her tears. "The feeling's mutual."

"There see?" Jake grinned.

Sam grinned back at him, wiping her face.

"Ready to head home?" Jake asked a bit later.

"Don't forget Gram's bulbs," Sam reminded him.

"I did forget," Jake told her with a sheepish grin.

"See you need me," Sam teased.

"Yeah, I do," Jake gave her a shove. "Come on."

Jake got up and held out his hand to her to help her up from the bench. When he would have dropped her hand, she gave it a squeeze and kept hold of it. Surprised but pleased, Jake gave her a smile, squeezing her hand back.

© 2008 – LB

Characters © - Terri Farley


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